<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Treasure by Rmhraga</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27370981">Treasure</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rmhraga/pseuds/Rmhraga'>Rmhraga</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Fandom, Sanditon - Jane Austen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:15:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>90,108</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27370981</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rmhraga/pseuds/Rmhraga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern AU. Charlotte's from a long line of farmers in Beaufort, South Carolina, USA, She is a sought after expert in he field of Cartography and gest lecturing for her book at Oxford and Cambridge universities..  Sidney is a wealthy entrepreneur having sucessfuly launching a green products company with his friends while in grad school. He's just turned 34 and is restless. He finds he's not where he thought he'd be at this stage of his life.  Reminiscing about the past on his birthday reading his childhood journals, he comes across he story of his family's legacy.  It sparks some real interest for him for the first time in a long time, launching him into a hunt for treasure beyond his wildest dreams.<br/>****Explicit scenes just for the entertainment of those who enjoy them. If they are not your thing, skip over them.  I will mark those passages with hearts at the beginning and end.  You won't miss anything pertinent to the storyline, I promise.****</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>621</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>414</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 1</strong>
</p>
<p>      Sidney woke in a reflective mood at dawn, sighing to himself.  He was bored with his life and frustrated with what to do about it.  Today was his thirty fourth birthday.  His family had a big party planned at the Parker home in Sanditon, and it was the last thing he felt like doing today.  His current venture was successful and with his old friends, Babington and Crowe running the day to day, it took up very little of his time anymore.  He hadn’t been interested in any sort of relationship since Eliza.  He didn’t even have a pet.  At thirty four, he thought his life would look very different.  He thought he would be working in marine biology or teaching in the field.  He thought he’d be married to the love of his life and have a few children by now. Sidney grew sad all of the sudden thinking about what might have been…what was supposed to have been.  <br/> <br/>      Trafalgar House had been passed down in the family for over 200 years, originally inherited by the oldest son in each generation.  Sidney’s parents had left the home to himself and his siblings in equal shares along with the family resort and other various investments.  They were all well taken care of.  Tom, his older brother and the oldest of the siblings, lived in the house full-time with his wife Mary and their four children.  He dreaded going tonight and listening again as Tom droned on about his expansion plans for the resort.  Sidney had allowed Tom to buy out his shares of the family resort years ago now, but he still wanted constant input from Sidney on the particulars of running the family business.  Frankly, Sidney just wasn’t interested anymore.  <br/> <br/>      He got himself out of bed and walked barefoot to the kitchen to put some coffee on.  He looked out the floor to ceiling picture pane windows at the horizon over the sea.  It was a bright sunny day and he loved this view.  It never got old. It is what drew him to the house in first place.  Coffee brewing, he went to the bedroom to change into his running clothes.  A good run along the cliff tops always helped clear his mind.  <br/> <br/>      Feeling better about his day after his run, Sidney sat down with his coffee and scrolled through the newsfeed on his phone.  An article about an old friend and classmate, Edward Denham caught his attention.  Edward had apparently discovered a shipwreck off the coast of Rio de Genera.  The article went on to discuss the find and its historical significance.  Sidney smiled to himself.  He, Edward, Crowe, and Babs used to fancy themselves treasure hunters back in the day and used to go on all sorts of diving adventures.   Eventually they all grew out of it as they finished university and went out into the world to find jobs that would actually make a living.  Edward had stuck with it and it had finally paid off.  Sidney was happy for him. He should get in touch and congratulate him.  It had been a while since they had been in touch.  His mind still on his past, he wondered where his old journals on their childhood adventures were.  He went to the study to see if he cold put his hands on them.  Maybe reminiscing on some happy childhood memories would help pull him out of his mood before the party tonight. At least Babs and Crowe would be there to keep him company and rescue him from all Tom’s business talk.  <br/> <br/>       Babington was bringing his wife Esther and Crowe would have his flavor of the week on his arm. Sidney was thinking maybe it was time to think about dating again.  He was finding life pretty lonely these days, especially when everyone else he cared about was in a relationship.  He was always the odd man out.  That had never really bothered him before, but lately it had been on his mind a lot.  It had been more then five years since Eliza.  Maybe he could finally put that away and get on with his life.  Rummaging around in the study for the better part of an hour, he finally found his old journals in a box at the back of the closet.  After a light breakfast of fruit and toast, he sat down with his second cup of coffee to read.  His phone pinged a few times with birthday wishes which cheered him up a little.  Several hours later Sidney was feeling much better and decided he was hungry.  Sandwich in hand he sat back down with his journals. <br/>  <br/>      Lunch long eaten, he came across something of interest in one of the last journals in the stack.  It was something he hadn’t thought about in a long time.  He tried not to think too much about anything involving his parents.  It just brought up too many painful memories.  They had both been killed in a boating accident just before he was ready to go off to Oxford to start his degree in engineering. His parents were on vacation.  They were amateur treasure hunters off to hunt some treasure that had long been rumored down through the generations of his family to be off the coast of Kent, near Margate.  Sanditon was about two hours driving and about 62 nautical miles away.  </p>
<p>      The shipwreck was rumored to be a 17th century Dutch ship with 250 passengers lost at sea during a hurricane.  It had never been located.  The stories of the lost ship had been in the family for over 200 years.  A distant relative, one Arthur James Parker and his wife Annabelle Jennifer Parker and their two small children, Thomas and Alicia were lost at sea.  The names and stories traditionally passed down over the years.  Sidney’s father had found an old map and fisherman’s log in the papers in the attic at Trafalgar House indicating an area along the coast where the ship was thought to have gone down. Thinking they might have found the information needed to pinpoint the wreck, his dad and mom had put a small expedition together to see if the wreck could be located.  They were three miles off the coast one afternoon when a freak thunderstorm hit suddenly.  The boat was struck by lightening and the gas tanks blew.  There were no survivors.  Sidney and his siblings were devastated.<br/> <br/>      The will left Tom, who had already graduated from university, in charge of the family business until all the siblings were of age at twenty five or had completed four years of university, which ever came first.  Arthur was the youngest at the time, just fourteen, Diana was twenty and Sidney eighteen. Arthur lived with Tom and his new wife Mary, while Diana and Sidney lived on campus at university.  Tom struggled under the weight of father figure to his younger siblings and the responsibility of running the family business.  He had made a few poor and spontaneous decisions about expanding the resort which weren’t lucrative and neglected to repair or maintain the older family property appropriately.  All the income the old resort generated was invested into the expenses of expansion, so by the time Sidney graduated from university the family business was in serious financial trouble. <br/> <br/>      Sidney was not interested in joining the family business.  He had interest in taking his current engineering degree and building on it until he had a PHD in Marine biology. Then taking his degrees and manufacturing green products that would naturally biodegrade and mass produce them.  He also had an idea for a portable solar powered filtration system to turn sea water into potable drinking water.  With his degree in hand and the family business in trouble, Sidney felt it was his duty to step in and help at Tom’s request.  He put plans of school on hold and threw himself into building the family business full time.  He was a machine and had a knack for good investments.  Within a year he had the accounts settled and the resort was self sufficient again.  He told Tom he wanted out now that things back on track. Diana who had a degree in international business and a minor in resort management was more then ready to take over for him and Tom could continue with marketing and advertising which was his specialty.  </p>
<p>      Diana and Tom bought out Sidney’s shares.  During his spare time in the last year, Sidney had designed his water purifier and with the money from his portion of the resort, he went into business with his childhood mates, Babington and Crowe.  They would bring the purifier to market and see if it would be successful.  Babington and Crowe would run the day to day and Sidney would bring the idea and the money and be a silent partner.  Sidney was then free to go back to school and pursue his masters in biology and eventually his PHD in Marine biology. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 2</strong>
</p><p><br/>      On the first day of Biology 301, Sidney met Eliza Campion.  She was a quirky, intelligent and beautiful woman, always quick witted and ready to answer questions.  She had gorgeous porcelain skin, long blonde hair and expressive big blue eyes that reminded Sidney of arctic ice flows.  They hit it off right away.  It didn’t take long before Sidney was sure he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.  He could in vision their whole life sharing a family and growing old together.  A year after they met, he asked her to marry him at his family home at Christmas.  She happily agreed.  It was decided that they would have a long engagement and would marry after  they graduated from their masters program.  They had a small flat just off the Cambridge campus, within walking distance from all their classes.  It was a very expensive piece of real estate, but Sidney could afford it.  The water purifier he had designed was ingenious, cheap to manufacturer and it could purify five liters of potable water over night.  Their company held the patent and it took off like wildfire, and made he and his business partner’s millionaires almost over night.  They were now working on Sidney’s latest patent.  A collapsible recycled plastic water bottle with an attached lid that was totally biodegradable with in ten years.  <br/> </p><p>     The next two years went by quickly and graduation was imminent.  The wedding was planned for December sixth following graduation.  Five months before the wedding Eliza and Sidney got into a heated argument about seating arrangements.  Eliza didn’t want her parents to sit at the family table with Tom.  She was worried about him making them uncomfortable with all his talk of investments.  Stressed about finals and defensive about his brother, Sidney’s temper got the better of him.  The argument got so out of control that Eliza grabbed he bag and keys and stormed out of the house.  Sidney calmed himself down in about an hour and tried her on her cell.  Several hours later she still hadn’t returned his calls.  Figuring she was just too angry to talk to him yet, Sidney took himself to bed.  Feeling guilty for taking his stress out on her, he left an apology on her voice mail.  He was awoken by his phone several hours later.  He was groggy from sleep but happy she finally called.  When he answered he was confused by the male voice, a doctor at the local hospital calling Eliza’s emergency contact.  She had been in a head on collision in her car, could he come immediately.<br/> </p><p>     Tired and beside himself with worry he made his way to the hospital.  When he arrived he was told she was in surgery, to go to the waiting room and a doctor would be with him as soon as possible.  While he waited he called Eliza’s parents and his sister Diana to tell them what had happened, and where he was.  An hour later there was still no news.  Eliza’s parents had arrived, Diana and Arthur were there and Tom and Mary were on their way.  They were waiting for a sitter for the kids.  Just as Mary and Tom arrived the doctor came in.  Sidney was first to get up.  The doctor told them of Eliza’s extensive injuries.  He told them of all the work they did through the last few hours to repair the damage.  He told them he was very sorry, but that the damage was just too great and Eliza had succumbed to her injuries twenty minutes ago.  Sidney felt weak and Diana and Mary rushed to help him to a chair.  It couldn’t be right.  His beautiful Eliza couldn’t be gone!  He would feel it.  He would feel her absence.  There had to be a logical explanation…a mistake.  <br/> </p><p>     The funeral was a very somber affair.  Diana and Mary planned the whole thing.  Eliza’s parents were too devastated loosing their only child and Sidney was just numb.  In denial, Sidney left their flat and got a dorm space on campus.  He threw himself into his work so he didn’t have to face his grief.  He was 25 and his life was over.  Every thing he had planned for his future was gone.  He got through his finals and graduated with his Masters in Biology.  He cried himself to sleep that night.  He hadn’t expected university to posthumously award Eliza her degree.  Apparently, even without finals her marks had been sufficient enough to complete her degree.  Graduation finished, Sidney went home to Trafalgar house to be with his family.  He had a three year old niece Alicia, and a new baby niece Jenny who was only two months old.  They helped Sidney cope with his grief.   He couldn’t spiral too deep into depression seeing their beautiful smiling faces every day.  He didn’t eat much.  He didn’t sleep much, but he was alive.  <br/> </p><p>     Sidney applied for his PHD program at Oxford and was accepted.  He couldn’t face going back to Cambridge.  He had to go on, even if he didn’t feel like it.  Eliza could never be proud of him if he just gave up.  At Mary’s suggestion he started seeing a grief counselor.  It really helped to talk to someone and by the start of term; he was finally able to bring himself to go back to the flat they had shared.  With Diana and Mary’s help, he donated all of her things to charity.  The only things he kept were pictures and the ring he’d given her.  The ring had belonged to his mother.  It had miraculously been at the jeweler being cleaned when his mother perished in the boat accident.  It hurt him to look at it, but he couldn’t give it away either.  He put his mementos of the last three years of his life in a carved wooden box and asked Diana to keep it safe for him.  <br/> </p><p>     Sidney decided on a flat within walking distance from campus, he had a car, but he liked to walk.  He didn’t want student housing, too many people around.  He liked being on his own much better.  He threw himself into his research and since he couldn’t sleep much he was able to finish his dissertation in five years instead of the standard six.  So at thirty years of age, Sidney had a successful thriving eco aware business, an undergrad degree in Electrical Engineering from Oxford, a Masters in Biology from Cambridge, and a PHD in Marine Biology from Oxford.  The idea was to take his education and use it for his company to make a wide range of ecologically sound biodegradable products to replace products currently in use on the market that were toxic and bad for the environment.  His PHD research helped generate his latest innovation.  Small light beacons for fisherman’s netting.  Solar charged and the size of a large fishing lure.  They could be clipped to the nets and emit light and vibration pulses to warn turtles, dolphins and other large sea life of the hazard. The idea was to alert the larger marine animals so they could avoid the danger of getting caught in the large fishing nets.  The strobe and vibrations didn’t have the same effect on the smaller fish.  Time quickly slipped by for Sidney this way.  His business with his friends was more and more successful, with a whole line of eco friendly products.  These were all the things that went through his mind after he read the passage in his child hood journal that talked about the sunken treasure boat, and his long dead relatives lost at sea.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 3</strong>
</p>
<p><br/>      The light of the day was waning.  Sidney decided a shower and a shave was in order.  It wouldn’t do to show up to his own party looking like he’d just rolled out of bed and thrown his gym clothes on.  He felt refreshed after his shower and was looking forward to spending time with family and friends, as long as he could steer Tom away from talking about business all evening.  Sidney stopped on his way to get some fresh flowers for Mary and some sweets for his nieces and nephew.  Tom and Mary now had three children. Henry would turn two in just a few months.  He wanted to arrive a little early so he could help put them to bed.  They loved a bed time story with Uncle Sidney.  He did all the best voices.  <br/>     </p>
<p>The party was lovely, family, close friends, good food and wine.  It went on well into the morning hours.  It was so late that Sidney spent the night in his old room, the one he lived in just after Eliza’s accident.  He didn’t sleep well. Whether the wine or the memories of being back in this  room, or a combination, he wasn’t sure.  He awoke with the sun, the rest of the house still sleeping.  He slipped out of his room and decided a walk on the beach to watch the sunrise might perk him up.  He started coffee first, so it would be ready upon his return.  As he was walking and enjoying the beauty all around him, his mind came back to the treasure his parents had been hunting when they died.  He wondered for the first time if they had actually found anything, or if it was just another wild goose chase that they had given their lives for.  He could not really fault them, it was a freak accident.  It could have happened to anyone.<br/>   </p>
<p>  When Sidney got back to Trafalgar house, everyone was seated around the breakfast table.  Sidney helped himself to coffee and a few items from the buffet Mary laid out, and sat to enjoy the morning with his loved ones.  He mentioned going through his childhood journals and the passage he’d found that reminded him of their parents hunt for the missing ship wreck.  Tom’s face light up and he told Sidney that he had a box of old boat logs that their mom used to keep of their vacation expeditions.  Surprised he had never seen or heard of them before, he asked Tom to dig them out so he could read through them.  Tom said he was welcomed to take them home.  He told Sidney that he was so distant after their parent’s deaths that he had put them away and hadn’t thought of them again until Sidney brought it up that morning. <br/>     </p>
<p>While Mary and Diana cleared the table Tom and Sidney went hunting for the logs in the attic.  It took them about an hour, but finally they found a small chest that held the logs, some maps, and a notebook filled with copies of newspaper clippings going back to the early 1800’s.  Sidney was intrigued by their find.  He took the chest home and started to sort through the journals, putting them in chronological order.   He looked through the maps.  Some were newer, but a few were in plastic sleeves and looked very old.  There were a few in old English dated 1817, 1822, and 1843, respectively.  Then there was one in what appeared to be German or Austrian, and another in Portuguese.  He could make out the dates, but that was about it.  The German one was dated 1822 and the Portuguese one 1824.  <br/>   </p>
<p>   Sidney found the maps interesting.  He couldn’t imagine what they were doing with their parent’s vacation logs.  It was afternoon at this point and Sidney had some email that needed his attention for his business meeting in London on Monday.  He put the chest aside and got to work.  He was meeting Babs and Crowe at the Crowne for drinks and he wanted to be done with work so he could enjoy his evening out with friends.  Sidney finished his work up quickly and hopped in the shower.  He still had a couple of hours before he met up with the guys, so he picked up the oldest log and began to read.  To Sidney’s great surprise the log wasn’t his mothers, but his great grand father Parker’s, four generations back.  As he read, he was shocked to find out the hunt for this ship had been going on in his family for two hundred years.  The logs laid out the details of all of the expeditions of his ancient family members, beginning with Thomas Henry Parker in 1817 all the way to 2008, the year before his parents were killed. Sidney’s mind was blown.  He had no idea his family was so invested in locating this long lost ship wreck.  <br/>      </p>
<p>It all started with Thomas Henry Parker.  Arthur James Parker had been Thomas’s youngest brother and when the ship Arthur was on with his young family went down in a hurricane Thomas spent the bulk of his family fortune searching for his brother’s remains.  He passed the tradition down to his middle son and so on down through the generations to Sidney’s own father.  There had always been talk of finding treasure through out his childhood.  They had spent several vacations on “Treasure Hunts”.  All the parker siblings had been taught to navigate and dive, to read both regular and nautical maps.  They were well trained on a boat.  Sidney had no idea that what he had always thought was his parents quirky vice, was actually a family tradition passed down from father to son for many generations, back as long as the Parkers had been in Sanditon. <br/> </p>
<p>It had been Sidney’s father that had revived the old town to its current glory.  What had started out as a small fishing village had been updated and built into a functional if not profitable sea side resort in the early 1800’s by Thomas Parker. The seaside town was made fairly successful after a terrible fire in 1811 by Thomas’s middle brother Sidney Charles Parker.  Their youngest brother Arthur and his family were lost at sea in November of 1817 and Thomas spent the rest of his remaining years and much of the family fortune searching for Arthur.  The resort town has been passed down but its biggest success was the work of Sidney’s mom and dad and when they passed, it all went to Sidney and his siblings. <br/> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 4</strong>
</p>
<p><br/>      It was just about time to go meet the guys for drinks, so Sidney put the log back in the chest, grabbed his coat and made his way on foot to the Crowne Hotel.  He looked around the bar and spotted his friends at a table in the far corner.  He was last to arrive, so as per a log standing rule between the friends, he went to the bar to order everyone a round.  Pints in hand he made his way back to the table and was greeted by hugs and pats on the back.  All three friends were happy to see each others.  It had been quite a while since they had been able to convince Sidney to come out with them.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Over the last 6 years since Eliza’s horrible accident, Sidney had been all work and no play.  He was a machine, driven to excel and worked impossible hours to complete his degree early.  Grief had been his drive, if he sat still, he would have to dwell on the fact that she was gone.  His life was gone.  The life they would have shared, and nothing he could do would bring it back.  Working towards his goal had allowed him to work through that grief and come out on the other side.  Well, that and the wonderful counselor who had worked with him for three years until he wouldn’t fall apart anymore.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney started talking about the logs he and Tom had found in the attic.  He described the maps and some of what he’d read so far.  Crowe and Babs had not seen Sidney so animated or excited about anything except his nieces and nephew since before Eliza passed away.  They were both happy to see this change in their friend.  They had been worried that he might never recover from loosing the love of his life in such a shocking and tragic way.  He just was never able to let go totally of the guilt he felt over it.  If he hadn’t gotten so upset over the seating at the wedding, if he had just let it go and not felt compelled to defend his brother, then maybe she would never have left that night.  She would still be alive.  After counseling, he knew in his head that he wasn’t to blame.  They were called accidents for a reason.  It was no ones fault.  In his heart though, it was hard to just let it go. <br/>     </p>
<p>     Babs and Crowe hoped that maybe this was a turning point for Sidney.  That finally he might be ready to start moving on with his life.  Over the years they had tried to coax him out, keep him involved, either with the business or occasionally trying to set him up on a date.  Work was effective for a while, especially when he had a new project that caught his attention.    Eventually though, he would always retreat back into his shell.  The friends thought maybe at last Sidney was ready to live in the world again.  Sidney talked all evening and drank more then usual.  He was quite pissed at the end of the night.  He was glad he had walked and assured his friends that he was good to get himself home.  He wished them well and said he would see them on Monday morning in London for their meeting.<br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney spent all of Sunday pouring through the family’s log books.  They were fascinating.  The older ones took a bit longer to read as the wording and the sentence structure was from two hundred years ago.  It was like reading a Jane Austin novel.  They were written in ink with a heavy script and faded with time in some places.  The more Sidney read, the more excited he became.  It seemed his family over the years had narrowed the area they believed the ship went down to about ten miles of coastline of the coast of Kent, near Margate.  Just where his parents had been when their accident happened.  Sidney had wondered at the time what had taken them that far north and whether they had actually found anything.  Some of the logs referred to the maps he had, so that explained why they were stored with the logs. <br/>   </p>
<p>     Sidney rose bright and early Monday morning and was in the office in London by 8:30 a.m. He was well prepared for the investors meeting.  They were meeting with several venture capitalists to find funding to launch a new line of biodegradable, reusable shopping bags.  They were made with a derivative of the plastic they had used for their collapsible water bottles and recycled paper.  The combination produced a strong material that would easily break down in a land fill in a few years and would not leave toxic chemical residue behind.  The meeting went well and they were able to secure the funding they needed to bring the product to market for mass production.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 5</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Sidney, Babs and Crowe decided a celebratory lunch at a local pub was in order. The friends spent some time discussing the new project, but eventually the conversation turned to more non business matters.  Babington was excited to tell them that he and Esther were expecting their third child.  Congratulations were offered and drinks were ordered.  Crowe couldn’t believe his friend was crazy enough to want to be a father for a third time, but he was pleased that his friend was happy and well settled. Esther was good for him and they were very happy together.  As for Crowe, he wasn’t sure he ever wanted to marry and he certainly didn’t want any children to ruin.  Sidney was of course happy for Babs and Esther.  He loved being Uncle Sidney to Tom’s children and to Babington’s children as well.  It is just at these happy moments he mourned the loss of those things for himself<br/>     </p>
<p>     To cheer himself up a little he talked to his friends again about the ships logs and all he’d found out.  He told them about the maps and how frustrated he was in reading the Old English logs, but more importantly he could only read a few of the maps in his possession and he was sure that they held pertinent information to the quest.  Sidney’s friends recognized this side of his personality.  They had seen it many times over the years when he got excited about a project.  He was a goner.  He was hooked and he would work night and day tirelessly until the mystery of the family ship wreck was solved.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Babington smiled at Sidney and told him he’d met someone he thought Sidney should get in touch with.  He winked at Crowe as he said it so Sidney was immediately on guard.  His friends were always trying to fix him up with dates, hoping to entice him into dating again.  He just wasn’t interested.  There was no way he wanted to put himself out there like that again. To possibly fall in love and have it all swept away rudely, leaving you with devastation and broken heart.  It was a lonely way to live, but it was safe.  Sidney looked them in the eye and told them there was no way he was going on any date.  Thanks, but no thanks.  Both gentlemen laughed right in his face.  They loved to get a rise out of him.  Babs finally tells him it is nothing like that.  It was on the topic of his maps.  He had recently been to a fundraiser at their university.  At the event he had been introduced to a visiting guest lecturer.  She was here for the summer going back and fourth from Cambridge to Oxford lecturing.  Sidney suggested that was lovely, but what was the point?  The point Babs told him was that she has a Doctorate from Harvard in Cartography and a Bachelors in Marine Biology.  Her specialty is ancient maps and map languages.  Sidney is excited for the first time since this conversation began and asks if Babs has any contact information.  He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone and texts Sidney the pertinent information.  The conversation takes a different tack and soon the friends decide to call it a night.  Crowe has a date and Babington wants to get home to his family for dinner.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney decides to stay in the city for a few more days to see if he can make an appointment with one Miss Charlotte Heywood, PHD.  He calls and gets her voicemail, leaving a message to please contact him at her earliest convenience.  Luckily he thought to bring the chest with him to London, so he kept reading the log books until well into the night.  When he couldn’t keep his eyes open any longer he finally fell asleep fully clothed with the open log in his hands.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 6</strong>
</p>
<p><br/>     He awoke feeling like he was hung over.  He didn’t remember drinking that much, but at 34 even not getting enough sleep could manage to make you feel like you’d partied all night.  He picked up the log he’d been reading the night before.  The page it was open to caught his eye.  He wasn’t sure he understood what he was reading the night before.  He had been so tired, but as he read it again, he went to the chest and pulled out the maps.  There were some latitude and longitude markings written in the margin.  He wanted to see if they coordinated with any specific location on the maps.  He thought the address coordinated the same spot on all three of the English maps, but couldn’t decipher the markings on the foreign maps.  Sidney went to see if his coffee was ready and retrieve his phone from the charger in the kitchen.  He was disappointed to find that Dr. Heywood had yet to return his call.  He called and left her a second message that she please get back in touch ASAP. Over a light breakfast and a second cup of coffee Sidney took the time and Googled Dr. Heywood.  She had written numerous papers on the history of Cartography and a book called, Cartography of the Modern Age.  He also found a website that listed the days and times of her current lecture series.  There was a lecture today at 1pm.  Sidney called the science department at Oxford.  His old friend was the dean of students.  His friend was happy to hook him up with a seat in the sold out lecture. They saved back just a few seats for donors and alumni.  Perfect, Sidney would attend the lecture and see if he could have a chat after with Dr. Heywood.  Perhaps she would be willing to help him decipher the maps.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney arrived early and took a seat in the back of the lecture hall.  He took out his phone and answered a few emails while he waited.  The door banged open and startled him.  In walked a woman with her hands full of lecture notes, maps, and a large over the shoulder bag full of old books.  She was young, so he assumed he was the Doctors assistant here to set up the lecture notes.  He got up to help with the box.  His mother would never forgive him if he didn’t act like a gentleman.  As he got closer and took the box out of her hand, he realized how beautiful she was.  Long dark hair put up in a messy bun with a few pencils and big brown eyes that felt like they looked into your soul.  She was almost a foot shorter then him with a slight build, but curvy in the bust and bottom area, and very shapely legs.  She was wearing chucks with a simple black flowing skirt that came just above the knee and a robins egg blue tee shirt that said Cartographers have all the fun printed on the front. She thanked Sidney politely for his help and he simply responded with a nod of the head.  She asked if he was there for the lecture, he responded with a yes.  He was having a hard time finding his words.  After she put all her things on the table next to the lectern, she turned with her hand out and introduced herself as Charlotte Heywood.  Sidney’s jaw dropped in shock.  She looked at him with a hint of annoyance; she got that reaction all the time.  He finally found his speech and said, “Oh, you’re Dr. Heywood? I thought you were the intern”.  He couldn’t believe that came out of his mouth, what an idiot!  She was obviously not impressed as she was frowning at him. “How utterly uninventive you are Mr.?” “Sorry, Parker, I am Sidney Parker.  I apologize for making assumptions.  I didn’t mean to offend you.  I just didn’t expect you to be so young.” “That is alright Mr. Parker; I actually get that a lot.” “Sidney, please call me Sidney.”  “Sidney Parker, now why does that name sound familiar?”  “I have left you several messages with a request to call me back.”  “Oh, yes now I remember, something about foreign maps found in your attic.  I really don’t do that kind of work Mr. Parker.  I could refer…” Sidney interrupts her before she finishes the sentence.  “Sidney, Please.  It really won’t take long, and I am only in London for the rest of the day.  Would you maybe have some time to talk about it over coffee after the lecture?  It would be a really big favor to me.”  Charlotte was annoyed again at being interrupted, and at his presumption that her time was not valuable, but when she looked at him with his charming smile and puppy dog eyes, she found herself saying yes, much to her dismay.  “Fantastic, I will meet you down front after the lecture.  I’d be happy to carry your box to your office.”  Sidney left to find his seat as the lecture hall filled to capacity.   The lecture was an hour and a half, and Sidney was fascinated.  The time went by so quickly, Dr. Heywood was an eloquent speaker and she obviously had a passion for her subject.  When the lecture was over, she had a line of people asking questions and having her sign their copy of her book.  Sidney waited patiently and went down the steps to collect her box when she was ready.  “Well, Mr. Parker, what did you think of the lecture?”  “I was fascinated the whole time.  You have such a passion for your work.  Who knew old maps and ancient languages could be so interesting.  How did you get interested in maps in the first place”?  “My grandfather, he was a cartographer.  Always drawing maps and looking at maps.  He had a whole attic office filled with shelves and shelves of rolled up maps.  He collected them and had many that were irreplaceable.  I would sit for hours in his attic with him looking at the maps when I was a little girl, dreaming of all the far away places I wanted to visit”.  Sidney was enthralled.  Her face light up with joy when talking about her grandfather and she gave him her first genuine smile.  She took his breath away. <br/>   </p>
<p>     “There is a coffee shop around the corner or a pub a little further away, if you’re hungry”?  “I am actually famished, I didn’t eat this morning.  Lectures always make me nervous and I get sick if I eat before hand.”  “How awful.  Why do you do so many lectures if they make you sick”?  “It is just part of the business.  If I want to be taken seriously as a map maker and an expert in my field, I must publish, and I must lecture.  It just comes with the job, but no matter how many times I get up there, I always get nervous”.  They walked to the pub that had been a favorite when Sidney attended Oxford.  Sidney found they communicated easily and he had no trouble keeping up his end of the conversation.  They talked about all kinds of things, what he did for a living, how she had worked hard for her degrees, and how hard it was to be younger then the other students in her classes.   How hard she still found it to be taken seriously as a young woman in her field.  It surprised both of them how much they had in common.  They liked a lot of the same movies and books.  Sidney felt like this was a date instead of a business meeting and was surprised how much he liked this woman, and how attractive he found her.  Charlotte found herself very much enjoying Sidney’s company.  He was not hard on the eyes, tall with a slender build, broad in the shoulders with a narrow waist, and large brown expressive eyes with long eyelashes.  When he smiled, she melted inside.  He was wearing a royal blue button down, dark slacks, and black loafers with no socks.  He was casual but well put together with expensive clothes.  He was very attractive.  As they finished up their meal and the dishes were cleared away, Sidney started talking about the maps he found along with the journals of his mothers.  He was so animated that Charlotte found herself caught up in the story, even though she’d heard this a thousand times.  Someone finds an old map and they think they will find treasure at the end, and what usually happens is they sink a lot of money into a fruitless project.  She tries to calmly dissuade him.  She would hate to see him get caught up in a hunt for treasure that is often very costly with very little reward.  He explains the history of his family.  That is was his ancestors that went down on the ship and the hunt had been passed down in the family for generations and that his parents thought they had narrowed the search down to just a few miles along the coastline of Kent.  When Charlotte asks why his parents didn’t find the ship wreck in 2008, Sidney just gets quiet.  Charlotte doesn’t understand what she said to upset him, because he is obviously upset.  When Sidney catches his breath and he can finally speak, Charlotte notices his eyes are moist.  He tells her about his parent’s accident and about how young they all were and how much it changed all their lives.  The journals were stored in the attic of the family home and largely forgotten.  She doesn’t know how to respond.  She is quiet for a moment collecting her thoughts.  Sidney doesn’t know what compelled him to open up and tell Charlotte all of that; he has never really spoken about any of that with anyone other then his councilor.  She is just so easy to talk to and he felt really comfortable with her, it just all came tumbling out.  Finally Charlotte looks him in the eye and simply says she is sorry.  They order another drink and some dessert, neither ready to go yet.  Sidney asks her if she would mind and if she had the time to look over some of the maps and journal entries to see what she thinks.  Against her better judgment she finds herself compelled to say yes, not because she thinks he will find treasure with his maps, but just out of interest to see the old maps and journals he describes.  Maybe a little bit because she really likes him and finds herself wanting to spend more time getting to know him.  He gives her his address at Bedford place and invites her for breakfast in the morning.  They can have a leisurely meal and then look over what he has.  They walk back to campus and part ways.  He had wanted to kiss her.  Where did that come from?  He hardly knew her and he hadn’t wanted to kiss someone since Eliza.  He must be feeling emotional today.  First he spills all his personal history and next he wants to kiss someone he just met!  </p>
<p>   Charlotte takes an Uber back to her hotel contemplating her feelings about Mr. Sidney Parker.  An interesting man, they have a lot in common, their schooling in marine biology, they like many of the same books and movies.  They both have an interest in old maps and history.  He is so beautiful to look at.  He is almost too good to be true.  She wondered why he wasn’t married.  It hadn’t really come up in conversation, but he wasn’t wearing a ring and he didn’t talk like a married man.  She had lots of experience with figuring out if men were married on the lecture circuit.  Her field was predominantly men and she got hit on a lot by her married colleagues. So she was pretty sure he was single and she wondered why?  Maybe she was just wrong and he was married with children.  Well maybe she would be able to find out tomorrow.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 7</strong>
</p>
<p><br/>     Charlotte’s Uber found the address easily the next morning.  She was not expecting the gorgeous stately home on Bedford Place.  It was in an old and moneyed section of London.  She wondered out loud how much a place like this would go for, not at all in her league.  All of the sudden the Pink Floyd tee shirt, dark skinny jeans and her signature chucks didn’t seem dressy enough.  Charlotte didn’t know what the matter with her was, since when did she care what people thought about her wardrobe?  She rang the bell and was surprised when Sidney answered the door himself.  She almost expected a butler.  He smiled that smile that melted her heart and kissed her on the cheek while inviting her in.  The hall way had a wide sweeping staircase up to the second floor.  A beautiful chandelier hung in the entry.  Sidney led them to the back to the kitchen and she glanced in the rooms along the hallway.  An old fashioned parlor on one side and a large dining room on the other, followed by a closed doorway on either side, bathroom, or pantry?  The kitchen which had obviously been remodeled took up the whole back third of the house and opened with large French styled doors onto a beautiful patio with a large garden space.  It took her breath away.  Sidney asked her to sit at the kitchen island while he cooked their omelets.  There were small bowls in front of her with different toppings and Sidney instructed her to take a bowl and put the toppings in it that she wanted while he did the same.  She noticed that he liked mushrooms, onions and peppers along with some cheddar cheese.  She picked the same with the addition to some sliced black olives and fresh spinach.  When she was finished she handed the bowl to Sidney.  She was quiet while she watched him cook.  He was obviously very comfortable in the kitchen. Again she mused that she thought he would have help in a house this size and was again pleasantly surprised that it was just the two of them in the house.  He asked her if she wanted only egg whites or the whole egg.  She answered the whole egg.  He was surprised; most of the women he knew in London only had the whites in their omelets. He liked that she wasn’t overly worried about what she ate.  When the omelets were ready he asked her to follow him out to the patio.  The table sat under an arbor with grape vines and gave an ethereal glow to the sunlight streaming in.  The garden space was laid out so beautifully and in full bloom at this time of year. What a fabulous place to have your breakfast every morning.  He had juice and coffee on the table and salt and little dishes with fresh chopped herbs to top their omelets. Beside all of that there was a selection of fresh fruit.   The omelets were perfect and she complemented him on his skills in the kitchen.  Sidney looked down at his plate with a shy smile.  It had been a long time since he cooked for a woman other then his sister or Mary.  Her compliment pleased him.  Was he blushing slightly?  How sweet, Charlotte thought to herself.  They talked amiably through out the meal laughing occasionally.  It felt good to laugh with a woman Sidney thought to himself.  She was so easy to be with.  Charlotte enjoyed the meal and the company.  It had been a while since her last boyfriend and she really liked Sidney.   She wondered if it was smart to start any kind of relationship when she would be going back to the states in just a few weeks when her lecture series was over.  It was time to think about what was next for her.  This latest book afforded her the means to take a while and sort it out and she was looking forward to some time off.  </p>
<p>     When they were done with their meal, Charlotte helped him clear the table while he washed up.  Then he led her upstairs to the study.  Sidney had the maps and journals all laid out on a large double sided leather topped desk.  She was impressed with the quality of the maps, especially the older ones. They were several hundred years old and very well preserved for their age.  She couldn’t wait to get her hands on them.  She got some gloves out of her bag and asked if it was alright to take them out of the sleeves.  He said of course, she was the expert after all.  She smiled at him and carefully removed the maps from their plastic sleeves.  He loved her smile and sat back and watched as she worked.  He kept quiet and let her work in peace.  She loved old maps, mostly it was the smell of them, but she also loved the feel of the old parchment and sometimes animal skin, the color of the hand made ink, the craftsmanship that went into the making of them.  They were painstaking works of art, each one unique.  No maps were the same from this time since they were all hand drawn.  Sidney was fascinated watching her work, how enthusiastic she was, how careful.  You would think she was holding a new born baby with how much care she took.  Sidney eventually picked up the journal he was reading and continued while she worked.  </p>
<p>     Finally after several hours she spoke.  She asked him about the providence of the maps and journals, how far back they went and weather their maps were all in English? He pulled out the German and Portuguese maps and the accompanying fisherman’s log, and showed them to her.  He told her after finding the journals and starting with his mother’s he was able to determine that the oldest journal was started by Thomas Henry Parker in 1817 after his Brother Arthur James Parker was lost at sea with his wife and two young children. The journal was very well preserved, but a bit hard to read as the language was very different to modern times and some of the ink was a bit faded in places.  Thomas had commissioned some of the earliest maps in the collection, no expense was spared.  His journal has all the costs for all his expedition expenses.  The journals continued down through his family’s generations usually by the middle son in each family until his mother’s journal in 2008.   He tells Charlotte he assumes her most current journal went down with them in the boating accident.  Charlotte is very excited about the providence of the maps.  With the journals corroborating Sidney’s story the providence dates were easily established as authentic.  With the texture of the paper and the type of ink used, Charlotte could already tell without the acid testing that these maps were authentic and not fakes.  She started to ask some of the details of the journals.  Sidney had taken meticulous notes on the journals he had already read, coordinating them with relevant dates and page numbers.  Charlotte spent some time looking through Sidney’s notes.  The more she read, the more excited she got.  She really thought Sidney might actually have a shot at finding this wreck off the coast of Margate.  The more excited she got, the more animated she was.  Sidney was finding it intoxicating.  He was trying to keep down his own excitement, they were a long way from finding the ship and they might never find it.  Sidney also knew there is a possibility of stumbling across the remains of his parent’s boat as well and he wasn’t sure if he could handle that.  Charlotte saw the expression on Sidney’s face change.  He was lost in his thoughts and got quiet all of the sudden. She wondered what he was thinking.  She gave him a minute and then gently laid her hand on his arm and asked him where he went.  He explained where his mind went and she just squeezes his hand in response.  It was getting late in the afternoon and they were getting hungry.  Charlotte needed some reference materials in her hotel room to translate some of the Old Portuguese on the one map.  Sidney suggested they go out and have a quiet dinner then he will drop her by her hotel and they can continue in the morning if she is willing.  She tells him she can’t imagine where else she would rather be and dinner sounds wonderful.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 8</strong>
</p>
<p><br/> <br/>     Dinner was enjoyable; they choose a little Thai place that Sidney frequented when in town, some great food, a little plum wine and lovely conversation. They both found out that they were single with no children.  Sidney told her he hadn’t had a relationship with anyone for many years and although Charlotte was curious about why, she could tell Sidney wasn’t ready to tell her about it yet.  Charlotte told him about her last boyfriend and how he just wasn’t the right one.  He wasn’t keen on all her traveling and that made the relationship fizzle out.  They talked about family.  Sidney told her about his brothers and Sister, his sister in law Mary, but his smile came out when he talked about his nieces and nephew.  Charlotte told him about her family.  She grew up in a rural town on a large family owned farm.  Her parents made the farm profitable even through the ups and downs of the economy by transitioning from milk cows to farm to table fruits and vegetables and also by turning the old tenant homes into cottages for rent to get the, “real farming experience”. It was run like a bed and breakfast with breakfast served each morning at the main farm house.  There were horses to ride and a few cows to milk, goats, chickens, and rabbits to feed.  You could do a course on planting, harvesting or learn the benefits of plants and herbs as health remedies.  You could get your hands dirty if you desired that kind of vacation.  They had been very profitable.  She had 11 brothers and sisters from the ages of 28 to the youngest of 12.  Her oldest brother Michael was a chef and owned a little farm to table restaurant in town and sourced almost all of his produce from the family farm and other local farms for the meat and dairy.  Her closest sibling was Allison.  They were two years apart making Allison 26.  She was currently working on her masters in sustainable organic agriculture with an emphasis in herbal medicines.<br/> </p>
<p>     Sidney found the fact that she grew up on a farm and had 11 siblings amazing.  He had never met anyone like her.  He was quickly figuring out that he just wanted to spend more time getting to know her and dinner was almost at an end.  At least he would still get to see her tomorrow.  They decided to go to a local café near her hotel just to prolong the evening.  They had some coffee and dessert, but eventually Charlotte started yawning and it was obvious to Sidney she needed some rest.  She apologized and told him that it had been a very long week and she need to get back to her hotel.  She was happy that she would get to see him again tomorrow.  Sidney paid the check saying it was a thank you for indulging his fantasy treasure hunt.  She let him pay even though it wasn’t necessary.  They were quiet on the way back to her hotel. It was a companionable quiet and not at all uncomfortable both just contemplating the day.  When they arrived at her hotel, Sidney felt the desire to kiss her again, but he wasn’t sure that was appropriate.   They had spent a very enjoyable day together, but still, it wasn’t a date, this was all business for her.  Charlotte found herself hoping he would kiss her as they said goodbye.  Don’t be silly, she thought.  This wasn’t a date, it was business.  He was just interested in her for map expertise.  Still, she wondered how his lips would taste and if he would be an unselfish lover.  Sidney suggested they exchange cell phone numbers just in case something came up and they had to cancel or were running late in the morning.  Slightly red in the cheeks over her thoughts, she agreed and they handed each other their phones.  Then she said goodnight to him and walked into the hotel.  <br/> </p>
<p>       He spent the drive home wondering if he should text her and tell her how much he enjoyed their day together.  As Charlotte took the elevator up to her room she had the idea to text him and tell him she enjoyed his company today.  As Sidney was driving home, his phone pinged with a text message.  His car read it aloud to him. “Thanks for the lovely day and all the great food.  I am fascinated by your family’s history with the ship wreck and can’t wait to delve into it further tomorrow.”   Sidney smiled to himself.  He texted back via Siri, “I enjoyed your company today as well; you are so fascinating to watch while you work.”  Sidney’s text made her smile, and she wondered what he meant by being fascinated by watching her.  <br/> She got herself ready for bed with a smile on her face and spent the night dreaming of the interesting Sidney Parker.  Sidney had a shower when he got home; he wasn’t quite ready for bed yet.  He was still full of energy.  His mind didn’t want to rest.  He wasn’t thinking about the family treasure though, his thoughts were all of Charlotte, her beautiful smile, her long dark hair, her fantastic brain and her sexy body.  He decided on a whiskey to help him sleep.  As Sidney finally faded off to sleep, all his thoughts were still on the woman he had met only a day ago.  He had happy dreams that night.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 9</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Charlotte awoke to her phone pinging.  It was still mostly dark in her room.  She felt groggy, but she had a silly smile on her face.  She was trying to recall her dream.  Sidney was in it and it was a pleasant dream, they were somewhere on the water.  It was a bright sunny day and they were diving.  The phone had interrupted and that was all she could remember.  Oh, now you’re dreaming about him Charlotte, she thought to herself.  Get a grip!  She contemplated going back to sleep to continue her dream, but she needed the bathroom, so she got out of bed.  She started coffee on the way.  She hated hotel coffee and would have to go get some real stuff in the café, but in the mean time this would have to do.  <br/>Coffee in hand she grabbed her phone from the charger.  It was Sidney that texted…6:40am.  He wanted to know if she was up yet.  He was eager to get started, could he pick her up in an hour for breakfast?  Ugg…he was an early bird.  Charlotte would much rather sleep in; on the other hand, the idea of spending another day with Sidney was exciting.  She texted him that she would meet him out in front of the hotel in an hour.<br/>     </p>
<p>     Showered and changed into some clean clothes.  Her hair was still wet so she put up in a messy bun.  She contemplated a little makeup, but decided against it at the last minute. Who was she trying to impress?  She had a few extra minutes after packing her bag and sorting through the reference material she needed to translate the Portuguese map and fisherman’s journal.  Sidney had an English translation of the journal, but Charlotte wanted to do the translation herself.  She had a hard time trusting a translation by an unknown author.  She headed down to the café in the lobby for a decent cup of coffee.  She ordered one for Sidney as well.  She remembered from the day before that he liked his black with one sugar.<br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney’s car pulled up.  He put on his hazards and got out to open her door for her.  When he got back in the car, she handed him his coffee.  He sipped and was surprised she knew how he took his coffee, and said so.  She smiled at him and told him she had been with him for coffee twice now and made note of how he liked it.  He was pleased that she knew this about him.  It was a little thing, but it made him feel really good.  He smiled at her and thanked her for her thoughtfulness.  He asked her how hungry she was. Did she want a full on English breakfast,  pastry, or something lighter?  She decided on pastry, Sidney knew of just the place.  The small corner bakery was family owned and right around the corner from Bedford Place.  When they walked in the door the bell jingled to announce them and they were hit with the smell of baking bread, mouth watering.  Charlotte chose two regular croissants and a chocolate hazelnut one as well.  Sidney smiled to himself.  Charlotte noticed and said three was too many, but it was too hard to not to choose chocolate when it was presented, she’d save the chocolate one for later.  He laughed and ordered the same for himself. <br/>     </p>
<p>     Breakfast purchased, they headed back to his home where Sidney made another pot of coffee.  They sat at the breakfast bar with their pastries and ate quietly, smiling at each other the whole time.  When they were finished and the plates were washed and put away, they headed up to the study.  Charlotte went strait to the Portuguese map and the fisherman’s journal and started translating.  Sidney went back to the journal he was reading yesterday.  Hours later, Charlotte got up to stretch her tired back.  Sidney closed his journal and smiled at her.  “Make any Progress”?   “Yes, quite a bit.  I am about half way through I think, but the entries get longer the further I go.  I may need a few more days with the journal to make a full translation. Would you consider letting me take it back to the hotel with me?  I promise to be very careful with it.”  Sidney thought about that for a moment.  He trusted her, that wasn’t even the question, but if he let her take the journal with her, he wouldn’t have the pleasure of her company.  “Never mind, I shouldn’t have asked.  It is just that I have back to back lectures this week and next and the only time I have for translation will be in the evenings. With my heavy schedule, it will probably take me that long to get through it.”  Sidney smiled at her.  She’d misunderstood his hesitation.  “Making Assumptions are we Dr. Heywood?  I trust you completely.  I was just thinking that if I gave you the journal then I wouldn’t get a chance to see you. I was just being selfish”.  Charlotte turned beet red.  She hadn’t expected him to say that.  She knew there was an attraction between them, but she thought they would dance around it a bit longer.  His directness surprised and pleased her.  At least she now knew that the attraction she was feeling wasn’t one sided.  “Sorry, that was direct, am I reading it wrong, Charlotte?  </p>
<p>     I think we have a connection and I for one would like the chance to explore that.” “NO, you are not reading it wrong.  I feel it too and I would really like the chance to get to know you better.  I thought you were going home tomorrow though.”  “That was my original plan, but I have nothing I have to rush back for.  How would you feel if I stayed in London for the next few weeks”?  “I’d really like that Sidney.  I could come in the evenings after my lecture and we could continue with the translation.”  “This might be really forward, forgive me if it is out of line, but what if you checked out of your hotel and stayed here?  There is plenty of space and it is closer to the university.  I could cook dinner for us each evening while you are working and that would give us the time to get to know each other better.” Charlotte was quiet.  Sidney held his breath while he waited for her answer.  He realized he really wanted this.  He knew she wasn’t in London for much longer and he didn’t want to give up the opportunity to see where this led. Finally he couldn’t wait any longer.  He let out the breath he was holding in and looked down at the floor a little embarrassed about how much he wanted a yes from her. Sidney looked up at her with a shy smile.   “Charlotte, say something please.”  She gave him an equally shy smile back, her cheeks a little pink and said, “I think I’d really like that Sidney”.  Then she looked down at the floor.  He walked closer to her, but not too close.  “Charlotte? I’d really like to kiss you right now.  Would that be alright”?  “I’d like that too.”  Sidney closed the distance.  He looked her in the eye.  He put one arm around her back and pulled her in closer.  He put the other hand on the side of her neck.  He took a nervous breath and leaned in, giving her just enough space to change her mind.  When she didn’t pull back he touched his lips to hers.  Her lips were soft.  It was a tender lingering kiss, just exploring the possibilities.  He pulled back to look at her but he didn’t let her go. He smiled and got an answering smile in return. He leaned in again, this time with a passion that he was a bit overwhelmed by.  When they finally came up for air they were both breathless.  Sidney wasn’t sure what that was.  It was electric, like his mind was left behind and it was all feeling.  He didn’t ever remember having such strong feelings before, even with Eliza.  That couldn’t be could it?  Maybe it had just been too long ago and some of what he’d felt just faded over time.  He didn’t want to think about Eliza right now, that didn’t seem fair to Charlotte, but he just couldn’t help the comparison. She’d been his only love.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte was not sure what she was feeling.  That kiss was explosive.  She wasn’t sure she had ever had a kiss like that.  It was almost frightening how much that made her want him, all of him.  It was much too soon for that.  They had only known each other for three days.  She didn’t like to rush these things.  She liked to be sure she was compatible with a man before she was intimate with him. <br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney rested his head against hers while they caught their breath.  He looked her in the eye.  “Wow…what was that”?  “Yeah, I know.  That was…”  Sidney let her go and stepped away.  He needed a little space to think.  His feelings were confusing.  They hadn’t known each other very long; he couldn’t be falling for her already, could he?   Sidney suggested some lunch.  He had the makings for sandwiches and some homemade soup Mary had canned in the pantry.  Charlotte thought that sounded nice.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 10</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Lunch was quiet but not awkward, each lost in their own thoughts.   They worked together in the kitchen like they had been doing it for years.  They bumped into each other occasionally on purpose, just for the connection, a slight touch of the hand here, a quiet smile there.  Sidney opened a bottle of wine.  He didn’t know if Charlotte needed it but he thought it might calm him a bit, he was feeling really nervous all of the sudden.  This was a big step for him.  Was he rushing into it?  It felt right, but he was a little frightened.  The last time he felt like this and it was taken away without any notice, he thought he wouldn’t survive.  He did of course, with some help, but he didn’t know if he could survive that pain and loss a second time. That is why he’d chosen to be single for so long.  Was he really ready to open himself up to that again?  If he wasn’t, this was not fair to Charlotte.  Maybe he should talk to her about it.  Maybe if he talked it over with her he wouldn’t feel so conflicted.  He really liked her and he wanted to give it a chance, he was just afraid.<br/>     </p>
<p>     When they’d finished eating, they cleaned up together, and then walked back to the study to do more work.  Sidney read his current journal and Charlotte worked with the translation. The next time Charlotte looked up from the desk, it was dark outside and her stomach was rumbling.  Sidney laughed and asked if she was hungry.  What a brute he was for not feeding her properly.  He asked if she was sure about moving from the hotel to his house.  He wanted to give her an easy out if she wanted it.  She assured him she wanted to be here.  He suggested dinner out and a quick stop at the hotel to gather her things and check out.  She easily agreed.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     She chose Italian tonight, she wanted a satisfying meal.  She ordered linguine with clams and white wine sauce, he ordered eggplant parmesan.  They shared a Caesar salad and a basket of garlic rolls.  He ordered a bottle of Montepulciano, a nice fruity red to go with their meal.  Their salad was served while the wine was allowed to breath.  Finally with the wine poured they were alone again.  The process gave Sidney some time to think of what he wanted to say.  Charlotte smelled her wine and had a sip.  It was delicious.  She wasn’t a big wind connoisseur and she hadn’t tried this one before.  She complimented Sidney on his choice.  She had liked the wine at his house this afternoon as well.  Sidney told her that he often had to wine and dine investors at the resort and had learned a little over the years.  He had a small wine collection himself and always liked to learn something new.<br/>     </p>
<p>     He cleared his throat.  He was nervous to bring up the subject of Eliza, it brought with it lots of painful memories he wasn’t sure he was ready to share, but he knew that he should talk it over with Charlotte so she could understand his fear and be patient with him.  “Charlotte? There is something I’d like to talk to you about”.  Ut Oh, that sounds really ominous.  Here is where I find out he is divorced or bisexual, or is a womanizer, she thought.  Just then the waiter came with their entrees.  Sidney sighed heavily, impatient to start the conversation.  Once shaved parmesan and ground pepper were offered, and more garlic bread declined, they were alone again.  Sidney looked apprehensive and the longer it took for him to say something, the more Charlotte worried that it was something horrible.  She hoped not.  She really liked him and it would be so disappointing to have to end it now before it even got started. <br/> “Charlotte, as you know I haven’t been a relationship for many years, six to be exact.  I want you to know I really like you, but I am really frightened to try a new relationship.”  Here it comes she thought, the other shoe is going to drop.  He has to have something really wrong with him to have been celibate for so long, I mean look at him. He must have women fawning over him all the time.  He is so out of my league.  Here is where he tells me he’s made a mistake. “Six years ago I was engaged”.  This wasn’t where she expected the conversation to go; maybe she was jumping to conclusions.  She would just hear him out.  Sidney proceeded to tell her all about Eliza.  How they met, the slow burn romance that started as friends, how much in love they were, the flat at Cambridge, the engagement, their plans for the future.  Charlotte had a knot in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t exactly sure where this was going, but she had goose bumps and she almost wanted him to stop talking.  Finally, he told her about their argument that night, how stupid it was, how heated it got, how she left the house and wouldn’t answer her cell.  The phone call from the hospital in the middle of the night, and how it came from Eliza’s phone, he was so relieved to hear from her until he realized with horror that what the Dr. on the other end of the line was saying.  He talked to her about the rush to the hospital, the phone calls to family and friends and the long wait, the shock and despair he felt when he was told she was gone. The guilt, the incredible guilt he felt.  That it was his fault the accident happened.  If he hadn’t been so stubborn and defensive of his brother Tom, if he hadn’t been tired from long hours studying for his exams, if he’d just stopped her before she grabbed her keys, she’d still be alive.  Sidney sat still, the tears welling in his eyes just starting to fall down his beautiful, shattered face.  </p>
<p>     She had never seen someone look so sad.  He took a deep cleansing breath, wiped his face on his napkin and smiled weekly at her.  She was heart broken for him.  What a horrible tragedy.  She reached over and just held his hand.  That was what he needed.  That simple touch told him that he was right to talk to her, to trust her.  He went on and told her about his counselor and how much that helped him deal with the loss and the grief.  Charlotte now understood why he had been single for so long; she could also understand how he was apprehensive about starting a relationship now.  She could only hope he was ready to try to move on.  She was willing to give it a try if he was.  He was worth it, she thought.  She told him they could take it one step at a time.  There was no rush and they could take it at his pace.  He smiled that smile at her now and thanked her for listening to him and not running for the hills when she heard how damaged he was.  She told him she understood and there was no way she was running,  anyone would be damaged by that experience.<br/>She felt an overwhelming need to hold him.  She asked him if she could give him a hug.  He smiled and opened his arms.  She moved around to his side of the booth and slid her arms around him and just held him close for the longest time.  After a while Sidney whispered in her ear, “Charlotte, I hope this doesn’t frighten you away.  You have been so amazing tonight.  I just want you to know I am falling for you, hard.”  She leaned back so she could see his face.  He was smiling that wonderful, sexy smile of his.  She smiled back and whispered, “I’m falling for you too Sidney”.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 11</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      The ride to the hotel was slow in traffic.  They chatted about this and that, nothing heavy.  Their favorite ice cream flavors, the best place they had visited, what their families did for traditions at Christmas, jobs they’d had when they were young.  Sidney had worked the concession stand at the local movie theatre.  Charlotte had spent a summer mucking stalls for a local horse farm.  When they arrived back at Bedford Place, Charlotte was excited to be staying in such a beautiful place.  She couldn’t believe her luck.  Things like this just didn’t happen to her.  Sidney gave her the grand tour of every room hoping that she would feel comfortable.  He told her she was welcome in any part of the house.  He was excited to have her there in his family home and was pleased that she liked it.  She had already seen most of the down stairs.  He showed her into the dining room and she marveled over the antique furniture that had been in the home since the early 1800’s when Thomas Henry had purchased the property after his marriage to Mary.  The parlor across the hall was equally furnished with antiques matching that time period.  This room was obviously meant to entertain there were small clusters of tables and chairs for guests to break off into smaller groups for card playing or board games including a fabulous carved wooden chess set.  Across the room were a set of tall backed chairs by the fire place for lounging on a chilly evening.  It had a small piano forte in the corner with a cluster of chairs opposite for guests to sit and listen to music.  There were even window seats with comfy cushions, under the three large picture windows that invited quiet reading or a place to do needle point with good lighting. It was all soft blues and greens, the room exuded warmth and family. <br/>     </p>
<p>     The two doors down the hall towards the kitchen that had remained closed he now opened to her.  One was a half bath and the other was a library that she could spend a million years in.  The book shelves were floor to ceiling all around the room save for two large windows in the wall opposite the door and a fire place at the far end of the room.  It held so many books, many of them first editions, some of them over 200 years old.  There were journals from old family members, old family bibles with family births and deaths written in them, atlases and a wonderful old spinning globe.  There were window seats in this room as well and the décor was all cream and gold. Charlotte was speechless and overwhelmed with the desire to read each title.  Sidney just smiled at the wondrous look on her face; he had seen that reaction to this room many times before.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte had already seen the kitchen and back garden.  Sidney explained that there was a large pantry off the side of the kitchen that opened into a mud room that now housed the laundry.  He continued the tour upstairs, there were six rooms including the study and two full bathrooms that had been renovated.  The other five were bedrooms, one for Mary and Tom, 0ne each for Sidney and his other siblings, and one guest room.  The attic had been remodeled and converted into a nursery for the children with full bathroom attached.   <br/>Sidney led her back to the guest room which was done up all in creams and grey blues.  It had a full size four poster bed with canopy, a fire place with two chairs set in front, a wardrobe on the wall with the door, a small writing desk in the corner and of course window seats under the two tall windows on the opposite wall from the door.  It was as beautiful as the rest of the house.  He left her there and went to gather her things.  When he brought all her things up, he asked if she was tired or if she would like to join him in an aperitif in the parlor?  She was a bit tired, but she wasn’t ready to be done with his company yet so she opted for the drink.  That made Sidney grace her with a beautiful smile and she couldn’t help hoping he might kiss her again before she retired for the evening.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte liked the port Sidney gave her, it was sweet and warm in her belly.  They sat on a small couch together discussing the Portuguese journal and the English translation they already had.  Sidney was surprised to hear that the translation so far was pretty accurate and that the translator had done a very respectable job.  This excited Sidney, it gave him hope they were on the right track in finding the ship wreck his family had been searching for all these years.  For the first time he thought they might have a good chance at finding it and that maybe his parents were on the right track all along.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     When Charlotte finished her drink, Sidney took her glass along with his and placed them on the table.  He took Charlotte’s hands in his and rubbed his thumbs over the tops of her hands in a slow rhythm.  This caused Charlotte’s heart to speed up, she squirmed a little in her seat and her cheeks gained a little color.  The flush on her cheeks made Charlotte even more beautiful.   Sidney was overwhelmed with desire for her and his body immediately responded.  He was only slightly embarrassed he couldn’t quite control himself.  He hadn’t felt like this in a long time.  Sidney had often felt like that part of him was broken, he was happy to find that he was just waiting for the right time and the right woman to come along and make him feel like living again.  After Eliza and before he met Charlotte, he was alive, muddling through life, but he wasn’t truly living.  Meeting her was an epiphany.  He couldn’t quite believe how much his life had changed in just a few days.  He was excited about life again and what his future held.  He hoped Charlotte would be a part of that future.<br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte wanted to lean in and kiss Sidney, she wanted it badly, but she had promised him that he could set the pace.  The pace was killing her.  She had never wanted anyone so much.  Her body was responding to his in ways she had never experienced before.  She was all butterflies and electricity.  She felt high on her own adrenaline.  He was so pretty with a beautiful smile and deep chocolate brown eyes.  He had such an understated sexiness about him.  His voice, don’t get her started on his voice.  That low seductive tone, it did things to her.</p>
<p>     Looking into her eyes for a long moment, Sidney finally leaned his body slowly towards her.  Finally, she thought as she smiled at him. He touched his lips to hers and it was like fire lighting tinder.  His lips wanted to be everywhere all at once.  His hands moved from her hips up the sides of her body, just brushing the sides of her breasts with his thumbs, up behind her shoulders to pull her closer to him. He sat up a little to angle his body and deepen the kiss.  Charlotte made a little noise and encouraged but also needing to breathe, he left her lips to caress her collar bone with his mouth slightly open, the tip of his tongue tasting, up her neck and just behind her ear nipping slightly at her skin.  He came back to her lips again and she opened hers slightly.  He let his tongue slide into her open lips and made a small hum of appreciation.  He was so turned on at this point he wanted to take her then and there.  Shocked by that revelation, he tried to slow himself down.  He wasn’t a brute and he didn’t want their first time together to be a quickie on the couch.  She deserved more then that.  He pulled back slightly, but not too far and leaned his head on her shoulder, and just held her.  They were both breathing heavily.  He could feel her heart beating quickly, as quickly as his own.  He sat up with his arms still around her and smiled.  She smiled right back at him.  “Um…I want you Charlotte, so much.  I haven’t wanted anything like this for so long, but I don’t want to rush.  I want our first time together to mean something.  I like you too much to get carried away on the couch in the parlor.  I think we both deserve something more than that, would you be too disappointed if we slowed it down a bit?”  “Of course not, I want you too, but I promised we’d go at your pace.  You’re right, there is no rush.  Will you just hold me for a little while so we can both calm down?  Would that be ok?”  He just opened his arms and Charlotte snuggled in.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     After a few minutes Sidney said, “I suppose now would be an opportune time to discuss birth control and STD’s, huh?”  They both lost it.  The laughter was a much needed break from all the tense feelings.  They both discussed former partners.  Charlotte had only had a few and had used protection every time.  Sidney had only had a few as well in college before Eliza and then of course Eliza.  He hadn’t been with anyone since.  They both felt safe enough that no tests were necessary.  Charlotte told him she was on contraceptive pills so they were covered there.  They discussed the use of condoms and decided it was prudent to use them.  Sidney was sorry to say he didn’t have any in the house.  Charlotte laughed and turned a little pink.  She explained that she had a few in her bag, just in case.  He laughed a little along with her.  That all decided, Charlotte yawned and they got up to go to bed.  In the hallway at her door, Sidney gave her a tender kiss and wished her good night.  He said he’d be up early and out for a run, but he would be back in time to make her breakfast before she left for her lecture.  She said that wasn’t necessary, but he just laughed and said it was all in his childhood training and his mother wouldn’t have it any other way.  Besides, he wanted to see her before she left in the morning.  She smiled appreciating the man he was, and closed her door.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     As she drifted off to sleep, she reminisced about the day and all that she had learned about Sidney.  He was really a very thoughtful and kind man.  She was wondering how she got so lucky to meet him.  She counted her blessings and fell fast asleep.  Sidney read a little before sleeping, but his mind kept drifting to the lovely woman sleeping just a few doors down.  He needed to text Babs and thank him for sending him Charlotte’s way.  He really owed him one.  Little did his friend know how much that would change his life?  He sent Babs and Crowe a text.  Still in London, will tell you all about it at lunch tomorrow, the regular place? They both pinged back their surprise that he was still in town and their affirmation of lunch tomorrow. It wasn’t long after that when Sidney fell asleep. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 12</strong>
</p>
<p><br/>      Sidney rose with the dawn the next morning refreshed and excited to meet the day.  He didn’t remember the last time he felt so happy.  His life had changed so much in just a few short days, he could hardly believe it.  He texted Mary, he had news and he would call her later.  Mary was always easy to talk to and she would be happy to hear he had met someone.  He could also count on her to tell the rest of the family so he could avoid all those awkward conversations and questions.  It was cloudy today and looked like it might rain, but even rain on his run couldn’t dampen his mood.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     When he returned home, he heard the water running and he figured Charlotte was in the shower.  He grabbed a quick one himself in the other bathroom and headed to the kitchen to get started on breakfast.  Just as he was plating up some chocolate chip pancakes with as side of fresh fruit, Charlotte was entering the kitchen.  He just stopped and stared.  He couldn’t believe this brilliant, beautiful woman was here in his house and wanted to be with him.  He was grateful and it made him a little teary.  Charlotte noticed and walked around the island to put her arms around him.  She gave him a good long hug and then looked up to meet his gaze.  He smiled and said good morning and gave her a quick kiss.  Pancakes were getting cold, so they sat down to eat. “Whipped Cream”, he asked?  She laughed and nodded her head.  <br/>       </p>
<p>     It was raining slightly which disappointed Charlotte.  She had hoped to breakfast in the garden again.  Sidney told her that at this time of year that was about a 50/50 shot.  Charlotte laughed when she found the chocolate in her pancakes.  Sidney said they were an Uncle Sidney Special.  He made them regularly for his nieces and nephew, so he always had some chocolate chips handy.  She thought it was sweet that he made pancakes for the kids and said she would love to meet them some time.  He said, “Ok, how about this weekend?”  She was surprised he would to introduce her to family already, but was also pleased that he wanted too.  “Are you sure you are ready for that”, she asked?  “Yes, why not?  I would love for you to meet my family, I know it is fast, but it just feels right.” She told him  in that case, she’d love to.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     After breakfast Sidney mentioned that he was having lunch with his two best friends today.  He asked if it was ok if he told his friends about her.  He mentioned that it was because of his friend Babs that they had met.  “Babs”, she asked?  She didn’t recall knowing anyone named Babs.  Sidney laughs and says that is his nickname from childhood.  They had all known each other since primary school, him, Babs, and Crowe.  She would know him as Lord Babington III.  Oh, him she remembered.  She met him at some fund raising event earlier in the year.  He was a friendly sort and not stuffy at all as you would expect a Lord to be.  She had really found him charming and down to earth.  That explained how Sidney had found her, she remembered giving him her card at the event, small world and thank you Lord Babington for the reference.  It had yielded so much more then she expected.  Life was full of surprises.        Charlotte kissed him goodbye for a few minutes and wondered if she could get away with canceling her lecture for the day.  That wasn’t fair to the attendees and not her style so she regrettably pulled away smiling at him and letting him know she should be back by 5pm.  He told her to have a wonderful day.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney spent a few hours catching up on work and emails.  He called Mary and told her all about Charlotte and let her know that they would be in Sanditon early Saturday morning. Mary was excited to meet the woman who broke through to Sidney at last; she must be quite a woman.  She asked if they would need one room or two, he just laughed and told her he would text her by Friday to let her know, cheeky woman.  By this time, it was almost 11:30a.m.; he should be getting going to meet the boys at the pub.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Traffic was heavy so he was a little behind schedule and the boys were already sat at their regular table. He had to start showing up earlier.  It was getting to the point where he had to buy the drinks every time they met up. He wondered if they planned it that way.  Sidney carried the round to the table and handed everyone their drinks.  His friends noticed an immediate change in him.  They gave each other a look that Sidney didn’t miss. “So, spill it Sidney, you look like the cat that ate the canary”, Crowe Said.  “Yes, if we didn’t know any better, we’d think you got laid”, Babs commented, waggling his eyebrows at him in an obnoxious manner. Sidney gave nothing away and just told them it had been an eventful few days, left it at that, and sat back sipping his beer.  Seeing his friends get agitated, he laughed loudly at them and cracked the biggest smile they had seen on his face in forever.  He told them all about Charlotte, how he’d left messages for her, and attended her lecture.  What a dolt he made of himself at their first meeting, and how fascinating he found her lecture.  How she was brilliant and beautiful and that he was falling in love with her.  <br/> </p>
<p>     “Well you never do anything half way Sidney”, from Babs.  “She must have been quite a Goddess in bed”, slurred Crowe.  His friend must have already been drinking for a while before Sidney got there.  Sidney laughed; Crowe was always crude, especially when he drank.  He told them it wasn’t like that.  They were taking that part slowly.  They enjoyed the rest of their meal, good food and even better company.  The boys were happy to have their friend back.  Crowe couldn’t wait to meet this woman.  Sidney was a whole new man.   His friends didn’t think they have ever seen him so happy.  Parting ways about 3pm, Sidney had the idea to prepare a romantic dinner for Charlotte.  He would need a few things, some flowers, a few candles, a nice bottle of wine and something sweet for dessert.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My chapters were short this week and I didn't feel right to leave it there, so here is a bonus chapter for you dear readers.  Archive's italics doesn't rely diferenciate  much from the text so I used bold lettering on their thoughts in this chapter. Hope that isn't to confusing. Also, do any of our archive writers out there know how to make the text appear bigger on the reading end in this forum, the default text is so small? Enjoy, and as always, I love all your comments and encouragement.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 13 </strong>
</p>
<p><br/>      When Charlotte got home, she smiled to herself at the term home.   She really did feel at home here with Sidney.  She heard music and a beautiful singing voice.  She put her bag down and wondered back towards the kitchen.  Sidney had his back to her so he hadn’t noticed her yet.  She was amazed and just leaned in the door way listening to Sidney singing Otis Redding’s, “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” He had a wonderful singing voice.  She cleared her throat so she didn’t startle him.  He turned towards her, slightly embarrassed at being caught singing and just smiled a sultry half smile at her.  She hadn’t seen him smile like that before and she felt a pull low in her belly.  Wow, he was beautiful.  “Hey, I didn’t know you could sing”  “All boys choir at church as a boy, and later a band for a few years at Uni, I can play a mean guitar and piano as well.  My mom also made all us boys take ballroom dance lessons too!” “Well, that I have to see with my own eyes.”  “Which one?”  “All of them”, she laughed. Sidney moved around the island and gave her a slow sensual kiss that promised more.  “Well then, I will see what I can do.”  Sidney told her dinner would be ready soon if she wanted to freshen up.  She said she would love to change.  He told her to meet him in the garden, the rain had stopped in the afternoon and it was a perfect evening to eat outside, and they should take advantage of the good weather.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney was lighting the last of the candles when she entered the garden.  She took his breath away.  He was dressed in a little off the shoulder red dress that came just above her knee, Red heals and her beautiful long curly hair down around her shoulders.  Charlotte was surprised at all the trouble he’d gone through.  There was linen, crystal and silver on the table.  There were candles all throughout the garden and little fairy lights hung from the arbor overhead.  He poured her a glass of Shiraz and kissed her passionately before handing her the glass.  He was thinking he’d be lucky to get through dinner at this point.  He just wanted his hands all over her.  He was imagining what she might have on under that dress.  She knew what she was doing to him, he could tell.  She wore a small seductive smile.  Dinner was simple, bacon wrapped filet on the grill, roasted potatoes with Herbs de Provance, and a nice salad with fresh greens and balsamic vinaigrette.  The steaks were cooked perfectly and melted in your mouth and the wine paired perfectly.  They talked of family and had funny little stories to tell about their siblings.  Charlotte talked of her parents and growing up on a farm.  Sidney talked about his childhood when his parents were still alive and how much he still missed them. They talked about children in a general sense and were happy to find they both were interested in a family at some point.  Sidney thought to himself, he couldn’t wait to see her round with his child.  <strong><em>Whoa, where did that come from?  He never thought that much about children of his own before, not even with Eliza, she wasn’t much the mothering type.  The image just popped into his head and he found he liked it there!</em></strong><br/>  </p>
<p><strong><em>     Charlotte thought she could see herself having children with him.  She hadn’t felt that way with anyone before.  She had always loved children and enjoyed helping at home with her siblings</em></strong>.  She hadn’t seen Sidney with his nieces and nephews, but the way he talked about them and the way his whole face light up when he did, well, she thought he would make a good father.  After dinner, Charlotte cleaned the kitchen; it was only fair since Sidney cooked.  Sidney let her, not because it was necessary, just so he could watch her move around his kitchen and he could admire her body.  When she was finished, she came around the island and kissed him with all the passion she was feeling.  His body was immediately at full attention.  He had never had this reaction to a woman, maybe it was because it had been so long, but he suspected it was just what Charlotte did to him. He had been at a constant state of half arousal since he first laid eyes on her.  He kissed her back and soon they both had to take a breath.  “I’d like to take you to my room, Charlotte.” The way he said her name at the end of that sentence, all low and seductive, made her loose her balance.  “I’d like that, lead the way, Sir.”  They walked slowly up the stairs, just admiring each other.  When they reached Sidney’s room, he swooped down and picked her up and carried her to the bed, it was freezing in the room and he went to light the fire place.  His bed was a large four poster with a canopy, larger then 19th century.  It looked custom made.  It had plush coverings in a charcoal grey; the rest of the room was decorated in cream and grey complementing the bedding.  Charlotte took in all the candles and the rose petals.  No man had ever been so romantic.  Charlotte felt herself overwhelmed with feelings she was unfamiliar with.  She realized she was so far gone, she loved this man.  Was it too soon to tell him?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ok, so most of this chapter is explicit. I have marked the start and end of the explicit scene with ❤❤❤❤❤, so if explicit's not your thing, skip to the second set of hearts. You won't miss any of the important parts.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 14</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>      Sidney returned to the bed after lighting the fire and just stood looking at her.  She felt a little self conscious.  She knew she was pretty; she had plenty of male attention.  She was usually confident, but looking at him, he was pure perfection.  Would she be enough for him?    He was wealthy too, that was obvious from the way he dressed, to the way he spoke, to the ballroom dancing lessons.  She was from a moderate farming family.  They weren’t hurting, but they were far from this level.  Sidney watched the change in Charlotte’s expression.  She wouldn’t meet his eyes and he wondered what she was thinking.  She looked far away and a little insecure.  He wanted to wipe that look off her face.  Did she not know how beautiful she was and what she did to him?  He thought she was perfect for him. He decided the best thing he could do was show her.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>❤❤❤❤❤</p><p>      “Charlotte, look at me please.  Do you see me?  Do you see what you do to me?  I am so hard for you.  I have never been so excited by any woman.  You are so beautiful and I can’t wait so show you how much I love you.”  Did he just say that? He hadn’t meant to tell her so soon.  He couldn’t help himself.  Well, he never did anything half way!<br/>
 Charlotte smiled at him and said, “I can’t believe I am saying this considering we have known each other only a few days, but I love you too Sidney!”  Then she asked him to show her.  He slowly lowered himself over her body, savoring the feel of her against him.  Touching her face with his hand and tracing her jaw line up to her ear.  He looked it to her eyes and leaned in to give her a tender kiss.  It quickly got heated, hands and mouths everywhere until they had to break for a breath.  They both laughed at their ragged breathing. “Lets slow it down My Darling, there is no rush, I want to love you and I want to take my time.” She just melted; he had her at “My Darling”.  She might faint if he called her that too often with his accent!  <br/>
     </p><p>     He kissed her again slowly, seductively.  She responded in kind.  He made his way down her body, kissing here and there.  He stood and took off her shoes, then his own.  He smiled down at her and offered her his hand.  She took it and he helped her up so he could remove her dress. He knelt down and lifted the hem of the dress, looking up for permission.  She nodded her head and he took that as a yes.  He kissed his way up her body as he pulled her dress up and over her head. She raised her arms for him.  His heart almost stopped.  Under her dress she was wearing a lacy black see through bra and matching panties, a black garter and stockings that stopped in ribbons above the knee.  He grew instantly harder.  “Oh My God, Charlotte, are you trying to kill me?  You know how long it’s been for me right?  I think if I died right now, I’d die a happy man.” She just giggled at him and kissed him hard on the mouth.  He pushed her gently back on the mattress and stood up again to admire her.  He wanted to take her all in and remember her like this.  Gorgeous, flushed from his kisses and in his bed.         </p><p>     He started undoing the buttons on his button down, but Charlotte stopped him, she wanted to do it.  She undid one button at a time and kissed him at the point of each opening.  She slid the shirt off his shoulders and undid his cufflinks, placing them in the pocket of his dress slacks.  She kissed his palms then wrists and pulled the shirt off.  She sat back on the bed to admire him.  He was exquisite.  Broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist, he was muscular but not too big.  He had well defined stomach muscles and a deep v where his chest met his hip line.  He obviously worked out regularly.  There was just a smattering of dark chest hair, and a dark thick happy trail.  She reached for his belt buckle, but he just shook his head and helped her up.  It was her turn.  He twirled his finger asking her to turn around, God he was so sexy when he did that. <br/>
     </p><p>     She turned around and he placed one hand on her hip and used the other to sweep her hair over one shoulder.  He kissed the shoulder he exposed and worked his way up her neck to just under her ear.  He kissed her pulse point and she sighed.  He undid the clasp on her bra, it took a little time, he wasn’t very practiced.   He kissed her bare back and made the twirl motion with his hand again.  He stood back to take a look at her.  She was perfect! She had large round breasts bigger then his hands, with dark perky nipples.  He reached out to touch them and she backed up a little and shook her head with a sly smile.  Cheeky woman, she wanted to play and he loved it! <br/>
     </p><p>     Charlotte grabbed his belt and undid the buckle, unhooked the fly and released the zipper.  She placed her fingers in the waistband of his slacks and boxer briefs and took them all the way down in one shot.  He guessed she was impatient with the pace he set.  He laughed out loud and she just looked up at him and licked her lips.  He almost came undone at that.  She stood up again.  She hadn’t touched him yet.  He longed for her to touch him, his cock twitched at the thought of her hands on him.  She backed up and sat on the bed.  She just wanted to look at him for a minute, memorize every long inch of him. He was impressive in every way.  Muscular through the legs and hips and one of the biggest cocks she’d ever seen.  She wondered how much it would hurt to have him inside her.  He was uncircumcised. She’d never seen that in person before.  Curious, she licked her lips and reached out for him.  He backed up a step shaking his head again, teasing her but it cost him.  He wasn’t sure how much harder he could get before he burst.  He helped her up again and switched places with her, her standing and him sitting on the bed.  She liked this position, it made her feel powerful and she smiled at him with all the love she felt.  He put his hands on the ribbons for her stockings and undid the bows.  He slowly rolled each one down and off her toes and tossed them behind her with a smirk.  She laughed.  He loved that sound and hoped he would hear it often.  He hooked his fingers under her garter and panties and lowered to his knees in front of her to take them off.  These too got unceremoniously tossed across the room.  They both laughed this time.  It helped break up some of the sexual tension.<br/>
     </p><p>     Sidney held her with his head against her stomach, catching his breath. She was a Goddess.  She was so gorgeous and didn’t even know it and she was here for him.  He felt so grateful.  He kissed her stomach once, twice, and dipped his tongue in her navel.  He started kissing lower and that had Charlotte squirming a bit in anticipation.  He looked up at her silently asking for her permission.  She nodded her head slightly.  He began kissing her again first on one hip, then the other, then over her pubic bone.  He ran his tongue along the line of the hair that grew there.  Charlotte’s whole body shuddered.  He took his hands and put them on her bum to steady her a bit and inhaled deeply.  He could smell her arousal.  He didn’t think it was possible but he got harder.  He took his tongue and licked her all the way up her folds.  She moaned.  He hummed his approval.  He stood and shifted her around and had her lie down on the bed.  Back on his knees he said, “Open your legs for me Charlotte.”  She opened her legs wide unashamed and anticipating what he would do next.  She was so aroused.           </p><p>     She couldn’t wait to feel him where she wanted him.  Sidney didn’t disappoint.  He licked her again from bottom to top and sucked gently on her sweet spot.  She pushed her hips up asking for more.  She tasted salty and sweet and he was intoxicated by her scent.  He entered her deeply with his tongue with several long strokes, in and out and then went back to sucking gently on her sweet spot alternating with his teeth.  He took his hand and pushed his thumb inside her sucking at the same time.  He stroked her a little faster, building up the pressure on either side of her now sensitive spot.  He then entered her with two fingers pumping faster and faster while sucking gently.   Before long Charlotte could feel her orgasm building.  She had never come this way before.  She never really found her pleasure this way, she wondered if other lovers were just inexperienced or if it was just how she felt about Sidney that let her body react to him this way.  As that thought crossed her mind, her body exploded with the best organism she’d ever experienced and she yelled out her pleasure, she couldn’t help it.  <br/>
       </p><p>     Sidney kept licking her gently on the outside as she calmed.  He knew she would be too sensitive for anything more.  As her breathing leveled he slowly stood up smirking, he could hardly wait to be inside her. She looked at him with hooded eyes which got a little wider as he approached her.  He smiled his half smile knowingly.  “Don’t worry Luv, I will take it slowly and you stop me if you are uncomfortable, Ok?” Sidney had been in the gym locker room with other men, he knew he was an impressive size and he didn’t want to hurt her or for her to feel intimidated.  He wanted this to be perfect for her.  He went to the bedside table and pulled out a condom and some jelly.  He asked her if she wanted any while he rolled the condom on.             </p><p>     She said she was pretty wet, but maybe he should this first time.  He was so sweet.  She couldn’t believe he’d thought of that. He put some on his fingers and slowly rubbed it in just the right place.  Only Sidney could make jelly sexy.  She opened her legs for him inviting him in and he lowered him self down to her and kissed her long and slow.  He worked his way down to her breasts and took one nipple into his mouth, and then the other.  He brought both his hands up and cupped her and gently massaged her while he sucked on one and then the other.  He brought them together with his hands and licked in the valley with his tongue. She had never felt so sexy or so in love.  He made his way back to her mouth for another long kiss, but he couldn’t take his hands away yet. He leaned up and looked her in the eye and then down at her breasts admiring their beauty and the feel of them in his hands.  He reached one hand down to stimulate her again making sure she was ready for him while kissing her mouth the whole time and the other hand was gently massaging her breast, building up the pressure between her legs.  When Charlotte started moving her hips under him, he knew she was ready.  With a hand on each knee Sidney gently spread her legs wider.  Looking her in the eyes, he entered her slightly looking for any change in her face, judging if he was going too quickly.  Charlotte understood what he was asking and nodded her head to let him know she was ok.  Ever so slowly Sidney entered her all the way until he was fully seated inside her and it was glorious!  He didn’t remember if he ever felt this good.  He kept still so Charlotte could get used to the feel of him.  He kissed her passionately and waited for her.  When she moved her hips slightly he knew she was ready for more.  He pulled back almost all the way and slowly reentered her, kissing her lips, her neck her breasts.  Gently he picked up the pace to a nice rhythm. Charlotte couldn’t believe how good he felt.  She felt full and he was so deep.  It was like he could touch her soul.  If she wasn’t sure she was in love with this beautiful loving man before she was sure now.  With all of his other wonderful qualities, he was also by far the best lover she had ever had.  Pretty quickly Sidney was close to his own orgasm.  He wanted to hold out a bit longer and see if he could perhaps make her come again, but she just felt too good and he couldn’t hold it back any longer.  He came hard with the best orgasm he had ever had.  Spent, he leaned down and kissed her and then still attached leaned to the side so he didn’t put all his weight on her.  They were both breathing heavily and it took a few minutes for them to come down off their high.  When he felt like he could move again, he reached for the towel he’d put on the bedside table on her side, yes, he already thought of it as her side of the bed.  That made him smile.  He gently pulled out of her and quickly replaced himself with the towel to prevent a wet spot on the sheets.  <br/>
       </p><p>     Charlotte appreciated him even more at that moment.  She had never had a more considerate lover.  He kissed her again and told her to sit tight.  He walked out of the room and she heard water running.  He was back quickly with a bowl and a warm wash cloth.  He spread her legs and gently cleaned her.  She was shocked and a little embarrassed.  It was so intimate.</p><p>❤❤❤❤❤</p><p>      He asked her if she was thirsty or hungry.  She told him she could use some water.  He left again and came back with two tall glasses of water and some of the dessert they never got to on a bed tray.  They sat in bed and ate their cake and sipped their water.  When they were satiated, he took the tray and put it on the floor.  He gathered her in his arms and kissed her slowly.  He pulled back and looked her in the eye and shyly apologized about the brevity of his love making, promising to do better the next time.  She could see he was serious and she was floored.  She had to set him strait.  “Sidney that was hands down the best sex of my life.  I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I’m thinking that was fantastic!  You have nothing to apologize for; I don’t want to hear you disparage yourself.  I am so in love with you, you silly, adorable man.”  “The best sex of your life, huh?”   He sighed and grinned at her and then kissed her hard.  Then he buried his face in the side of her neck and said, “Thank God, because I am so in love with you too.”  Sidney rolled over on his back and rested his head on his elbow.        Charlotte laid her head down on his chest.  She could hear his heart beating.  She smiled when he told her it beat for her.  They spoke in whispers about their future and the possibility of finding his family treasure.  Eventually they started to drift off to sleep. Charlotte was barely awake when Sidney whispered, “Sweet dreams My Love” as he fell asleep. She was too tired to respond with anything other then a slight smile.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Explicit scenes marked with ❤❤❤❤❤</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>Chapter 15</strong><br/>
 </p><p>      As usual Sidney was awake with the dawn.  Charlotte was asleep next to him.  She lay on her stomach with her head on the pillow above his shoulder with her nose tucked in his neck.  Her face was covered with her messy curls.  She was snoring lightly.  He loved waking up next to her and thought he wanted to do that for the rest of his life. Sidney didn’t want to wake her knowing she wasn’t by nature an early riser, but he was dying to see her face.  Ever so gently he pushed the curls back from her face.  She stirred and looked at him and gave him a gorgeous, sleepy smile.  He couldn’t help but answer her smile with one of his own.  He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips.  His body was already responding to her.</p><p>❤❤❤❤❤</p><p> </p><p>      Surely she could feel him as one of her legs was draped over his hip with her foot between his legs. She moved her thigh against him, rubbing him gently, encouraging him.  She lifted her head up to deepen the kiss.  He hummed in response and that just fueled her passion.  Placing his hands on her sides he pulled her into a position where her legs straddled his hips. She could feel how much he wanted her and he could feel how ready she was for him.  She rocked her hips against him as their tongues danced.  She could kiss him forever. It was so satisfying.  Sidney let her set the pace this time.  He enjoyed letting her take the lead.  She worked her way down his neck to his collar bone and then across his chest and up the other side of his neck.  She nipped on his shoulder and sucked his earlobe into her mouth. Sidney groaned slightly.  She looked at him and smiled and then kissed him long and slow.  <br/>
     </p><p>     Charlotte moved her way down his body.  Taking each of his nipples and sucking on them, running her fingers and then her tongue through the smattering of hair on his chest.  It gave him goose flesh.  He placed his hands on her hips and gently massaged her lower back and the top of her bum.  He moved one hand up her spine and up higher to run his fingers through her curls.  She slowly made her way down his body, spreading his legs with her own and kissing his stomach, dipping her tongue in his navel and biting his hip, licking the deep crease between his leg and his stomach.  She ran her fingers through his happy trail and gently tugged on the hair there.  He jumped a little when she did that, it was the last thing he expected her to do.  She laughed and gave him a smirk.  He was so aroused and was having a hard time trying not to take the lead away from her.  The anticipation of having her was killing him.  <br/>
     </p><p>     Charlotte had him where she wanted him.  She had wanted to taste all of him.  To feel what it was like to take him in her mouth and give him pleasure.  She licked him from base to tip and his back arched of the bed when she did.  He wasn’t quite sure what he was expecting, but it wasn’t that.  He put his hand under her chin so she would look up at him.  “You don’t have to do that, it isn’t necessary”.  She frowned at him and pushed out her bottom lip in a pout.  “You don’t like it? Am I not doing it correctly?”  He laughed slightly at the look on her face.  She looked like he had taken her chocolate croissant away at breakfast.  She looked away from him and he realized he’d inadvertently hurt her feelings by laughing.  “Charlotte, look at me.  I’m sorry I didn’t mean to laugh at you.  It’s not what you’re thinking.  You just looked so adorable with your pouty face.  I couldn’t help but laugh.  Of course I like it and you couldn’t possibly do it wrong.  I just didn’t want you think it was required”  “I didn’t think it was required.  I wanted to taste you and feel you in my mouth.  I wanted to give you as much pleasure as you gave me last night.”  “I’m so sorry for interrupting and making you self conscious.  Forgive me?”  “Of course I forgive you.  I am sorry for being sensitive, this is just something I’ve never felt confidant about.”  “Can we have a redo?  Please continue, I promise I will love every minute of your attentions.” Charlotte nodded her head and gave him a shy smile.  He kissed her tenderly on the lips.  She took him in her hand and slowly massaged him up and down.  He grew harder in her hand and that encouraged her.  She leaned in and touched her tongue to his tip and licked the bead of liquid there.  He tasted salty and earthy.  She liked the flavor of him.  She looked up at him and licked her lips.  He was so in love with her at that moment it almost hurt to breathe.  He sat back and watched her love him with her mouth.  When he couldn’t hold himself together anymore he sat up and encouraged her to straddle his lap.  She took him in hand and guided him to enter her.  He let her move her body onto him.  She took her time, a little sore from their loving last night, but eventually he was fully inside her.  It felt as good as it did the last time and they both marveled at how well they fit together.  <br/>
     </p><p>      Sidney kissed her deeply with all he felt as she moved her hips up and down.  He put his hands on her to help her balance while they found their rhythm.  She stepped up the pace and her skin was slick with the exertion.  Sidney just watched with pleasure as she worked him.  It felt so good to be inside her, he was so deep. Sidney was so large, he filled her up and she felt so full with him inside her this way.  They felt like they were one body moving with the sole purpose of chasing the pleasurable feelings they were creating.  Sidney felt Charlotte tightening down on him.   He knew she was almost there.  He held both her hips to slow her down and he changed the angle a little.  Charlotte let out a low moan.  Sidney smiled and said, “Charlotte, open your eyes and look at me.”  She looked into his eyes and saw so much love there.  She kissed him and pulled back to keep eye contact.  He let go of her hips and let her take the lead again. He ran his hands through her hair, smoothing it back from her face so he could see her clearly.  He moved his hands to her breasts to massage them and pinch her nipples between his thumb and fingers, just enough that she’d feel it, but not enough to hurt.  She moaned again and he gave her his sexy half smile. “Come for me Charlotte!” he said in that low seductive voice. She couldn’t hold on any longer and she came undone around him. He held her while the waves crashed through her body pumping slowly in and out.  She was so beautiful as she came for him. Not long after Sidney felt his own release.  They just sat in that position for a while holding each other and catching their breath.<br/>
     </p><p>      When their breathing was back to normal, Sidney lifted her up and walked them into the bathroom. Turning on the shower, he held her until the water warmed up.  He wanted to stay inside her for as long as possible.  She was amazed at his strength.  She couldn’t believe he was strong enough to carry her this way for so long.  When the water was warm enough he backed her up to tiled window ledge in the shower and sat her down.  It was just the right height.  Charlotte felt him grow hard again and was thrilled with the prospect of having him again.  He made love to her tenderly in the shower and then they washed each other clean.  The body soap was a scent she recognized as Sidney’s, musky and pleasant.  Clean and dry, Charlotte put her hair in a bun.  She dried Sidney’s hair with a towel and shared his toothbrush.  When they were both done in the bathroom they got back into bed for a few more hours sleep.  </p><p>❤❤❤❤❤</p><p>      Sidney was awake an hour later and it was still early.  He gently extricated himself from Charlotte and decided to go for his morning run.  He left her a little note on the pillow in case she woke while he was gone. </p><p>
  <em> <strong>Gone for my morning run Luv.</strong> </em><br/>
<em> <strong>Breakfast when I return, I didn’t</strong> </em><br/>
<em> <strong>have the heart to wake you.  You </strong> </em><br/>
<em> <strong>looked so peaceful sleeping in </strong> </em><br/>
<em> <strong>my bed.  </strong> </em><br/>
<em> <strong>Back soon.</strong> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <strong> S.</strong> </em>
</p><p>      It was a gorgeous spring day and he was feeling fantastic.  He thought back on his morning and the evening before.  Charlotte couldn’t be any more perfect for him.  She was brilliant, funny and beautiful and to top it all off she was a very enthusiastic lover.  How did he ever get so lucky?  He had a good sex life with Eliza.  They’d had sex regularly and it was always enjoyable, but there always seemed to be a little something missing that he couldn’t quite express.  They’d loved each other very much but there wasn’t always a whole lot of passion. With Charlotte the passion was almost volatile.  She was not afraid to express her desires or ask for what she needed from him.  She was unselfish and was as interested in his pleasure as much as her own, and she didn’t seem to be opposed to trying new things.  What more could he ask for in a lover.  He hoped he had a long future with Charlotte as his best friend and lover.  He couldn’t think of anything he had ever wanted more.  He put in his ear buds and turned on his music, time to put his body through its paces.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 16</strong>
</p>
<p><br/>      Charlotte woke up shortly after Sidney left.  She could tell because his spot was still warm.  She smiled at the note he’d left. He was so thoughtful.  Her mind drifted to their loving.  He was such a good lover.  Shy and tender at times and then bold and cocky at others.  He had a funny sense of humor that came through even during sex.  His body was extraordinary and wow did he know how to use it!  <br/>She wondered how she gotten so lucky.  She would have to send Babington his favorite whiskey to show her appreciation for the introduction. She got dressed for the day and made her way down to the kitchen.  She’d cook breakfast for Sidney this morning.  She’d make crapes with bananas foster if she could find any brandy.  She had the bananas ready and was just starting on the first crape when Sidney walked in.  He was surprised to see her cooking.  He’d thought he might have to wake her up again.  The crapes were delicious.  Not surprising she was a good cook too.  They chatted about their plans for the day.  Charlotte had her lecture and Sidney had a business meeting this morning since he was in town. Then he would continue his research with the journals.  They would work for a few hours this evening on the translation and coordinating the map details.  Sidney would have dinner ready when she got home so they could get started after they ate.  She kissed him good bye at the door and again found it hard to want to leave him.  The rest of the week went buy like this.  Making love frequently as all new lovers do, meals cooked and eaten, research for the treasure in companionable silence. Charlotte spent her days lecturing.  Sidney did work or research and occasionally had a lunch out with the boys at the pub. In the evenings they ate together, laughed a lot, worked and loved together.  It felt like it had always been like this.  It was easy to be with each other.  They both started thinking of what it would be like when Charlotte’s lecture series was done and she would have to go home, but neither wanted to bring it up and burst their happy bubble.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Friday evening Sidney asked Charlotte what time she wanted to leave in the morning for Sanditon.  He was excited for her to meet his family and for them to be able to get to know her. He was particularly interested in Mary’s opinion and wanted to talk his feelings through with her.  He wanted to talk future plans with Charlotte but he was worried it was too soon and he wanted to see what Mary thought before he broached the subject with Charlotte.  <br/>They compromised and decided they would get going by 9 in the morning.  With a two hour drive that would put them in his home town just before lunch.  He texted Mary to let her know his plan and that they would only need one room!  She said she couldn’t wait to see them and would have something ready for them to eat when they got there and sent a winky face emoji about the room.   <br/>     </p>
<p>     They had a sunny day for their drive and spent the time talking about his home town and its history.  He talked about growing up with Babington, Crowe and Edward.  He told her about all their treasure hunting adventures and how Edward never lost the bug and he was still hunting treasure for a living.  Charlotte thought that was interesting.  She had read an article about Edward Denham’s latest find in Rio and was impressed that Sidney knew him.  She suggested that maybe it was a good idea to get in touch with Edward to consult on Sidney’s treasure hunt.  Sidney thought that was a fine idea.  He had been meaning to get in touch with him to congratulate him on his find anyway.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     When they arrived at the cliff top road into Sanditon, Charlotte was caught up by the beauty of the coast.  She had spent all of her time here in London.  This was the first she’d seen of the English coast.  She could easily see why Sidney loved it so much, a quaint little seaside town with lots of rich history and old architecture.  Sidney talked about how his ancestors took a sleepy fishing village and built it up to a bustling town including a terrace promenade with housing and local merchant shops.  The town had its ups and downs over the years, but the resort that his father built allowed it to flourish in modern times providing a lot of the jobs in the area.  It wasn’t as big and touristy as Brighton.  It brought a clientele that was looking for a quieter and laid back vacation spot where one could lounge on the beach or by the pool, take in some fishing or sailing, play croquet or cricket, or take an art class on the cliff tops; the kind of place that catered to family gatherings and lacked all the glitz and shine of some of the bigger resorts.  It sounded lovely to Charlotte and she couldn’t wait to see it all, but she especially couldn’t wait to walk on the beach and put her toes in the water.  It had been a long time since she had seen the beach.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Trafalgar House was as impressive as Bedford place.  Nineteenth century architecture exploded in a rather ostentatious way, arched doorways, and lots of fancy moldings and carved wood fire places in every room.  There was a large sweeping stair case off to the right of the entry way leading up to bedrooms on the second floor.  There were wall sconces and beautiful chandeliers in every space.  The house was full of beautiful antique furniture that looked like it was from the time the home was constructed, scattered here and there with toys and modern items like a TV or a cell phone charger.  The furnishings were old and well loved, and it gave the house a lived in feel rather then it feeling like walking through a museum. It had a large kitchen that had been remodeled with all the modern conveniences, but still had an old brick oven over the fire place.  The attic ran the whole length of the house.  The home was simply fantastic and the views from the back windows out to the water were breath taking.  Out behind the house was a large walled garden space with fruit trees and herb gardens along with flowering bushes and trees.  It had been well cultivated and tended.  The back stoned wall had a gate that led to a path down to the beach.  The view was inspired.  When Sidney gave her the tour, he explained that Trafalgar House and Bedford Place were jointly owned by him and his siblings equally, but Tom, Mary and the kids lived here permanently and Bedford Place was shared by all of them when they visited London.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Mary was a lovely petite blonde woman in her early forties with gorgeous blue eyes and an unassuming smile.  She was warm and quiet, and Charlotte took an immediate liking to her. Tom was as tall as Sidney but other then that they didn’t really favor each other very much.  Sidney explained that he favored their mother with his lighter brown hair and chocolate eyes, while his siblings all had darker hair and lighter brown eyes like their father.  Tom had a loud booming voice and was always talking and on the move, flitting from one subject to the other, almost like his stream of consciousness talking.  He had no filter and no off button, but she found him amusing and very likeable.  Mary explained that the children had already eaten and she had sent them to the beach with the sitter for a little while to blow off some energy while the adults got to know each other.  They would all join the children on the beach after lunch.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Lunch was simple and delicious, a large salad and grilled chicken paired with fresh lemonade.  Charlotte insisted on helping to clear the table amid Mary’s objections, but Mary wouldn’t hear of her doing any dishes and instead invited her to sit at the island in the kitchen and keep her company.  Sidney and Tom wondered out to the garden for one of Tom’s favorite cigars.  Tom insisted Sidney join him even though he knew very well that Sidney didn’t care for cigars, but it was easier to give in then to argue with him over it.  Tom had the best intentions but he wasn’t always the most observant brother and often pushed his own agenda.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney talked about the research he and Charlotte had been conducting on the ship wreck.  He was excited to share all they had found so far.  He asked for Tom’s opinion on putting an expedition together and of asking Edward Denham to consult on the project.  Tom thought that was a fantastic idea.  Edward was a successful diver and treasure hunter and he might have some insights to share, especially since he was an old family friend.  Tom was happy to see Sidney so excited about something again.  He was shocked when Mary had told him that Sidney was bringing a woman to meet them.  His brother hadn’t seen any women since Eliza’s untimely death.  He wouldn’t even entertain the idea of dating. Anytime anyone in the family brought it up, he would just tell them he wasn’t interested.  The whole family believed Sidney might never get over the pain of loosing Eliza and might stay alone for the rest of his life.  It made them all sad as Sidney was too young to give up on being happy in life.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Tom really liked Charlotte.  She was smart and easy on the eyes.  She had a warm personality that automatically drew you in.  She made Sidney smile and laugh often.  They looked so easy in each other’s company.  Tom could see why this woman had captured his brother’s heart.  He could tell that Sidney was in love, and he wondered if his brother knew it yet.  Diana and Arthur would be so pleased to hear the news.  Charlotte looked equally smitten and Tom hoped that she was ready for what he could already tell his brother wanted from her.  Tom’s musings were interrupted when Mary and Charlotte came out the garden.  It was time to go meet the children on the beach.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>Chapter 17</strong><br/> </p>
<p>     The walk down to the beach was lovely.  The steps were built into the side of the cliff and dropped at a steep incline down to the sand.  Sidney held Charlottes hand and helped her down to what looked like a private cove complete with fire pit and comfy outdoor seating.   At the bottom Sidney was tackled by a shrieking mob of blond haired blue eyed children that favored their mother in every way.  They all got tickled and kissed all over their smiling faces.  Charlotte found her self laughing and grinning at the spectacle before her. He was so cute with them it made her feelings for him bubble up to the surface and catch her unaware.  She could picture him playing with their own children. <em>Did she really just think that? Was she ready for that?</em>  She was only 28, but she found that the idea of children with him only made her feel warm all over.  The thought made her smile.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney looked up at Charlotte at that moment and saw the look on her face and wondered what she was thinking.  He got up and introduced his nieces and nephew.  Alicia was the oldest of the three at seven.  She was tall for her age and was shy and quiet like her mother.  Jenny was six and had a musical little voice which was not shy in asking who Charlotte was to Sidney.  He just smiled indulgently at her and told her Charlotte was his girlfriend.  When Jenny laughed and said that he didn’t do girlfriends, Sidney told her that Charlotte was special and he just couldn’t resist her charms.  Henry took after Tom in every way but looks, chattering constantly whether someone was listening or not and flitting from one place to another at breakneck speed.  Charlotte laughingly observed to Mary that she had her hands full with him.  Mary rolled her eyes.  Yes, most days she went to bed exhausted, but it was all worth it in the end.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     They spent the rest of the afternoon playing on the beach until Henry could hardly keep his eyes open.  The all walked back up to the house happy and flushed from the wind on the beach.  Mary put Henry down for a nap and Alicia and Jenny had some quiet time in their room.  The adults sat in the back garden for happy hour refreshments.  They chatted about life in Sanditon, what it was like to run a family resort, Charlotte’s book and the subsequent lecture series that resulted.  Charlotte told them about her grandfather who gave her love of maps and her childhood on the farm.  They talked a little about the family treasure hunt and the research Sidney and Charlotte were involved in.  The consensus was that it might actually possible to find it close to where their parents had been looking when they died.  They were all excited by the possibility of finishing what their parents had started.  It would be a nice legacy.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte insisted on helping Mary prepare dinner and they worked companionably together in the kitchen making home made lasagna with garlic bread and a fresh salad.  Charlotte made Italian vinaigrette from scratch with fresh garlic and oregano from the garden.  When Mary asked where she learned to cook, Charlotte told her about her mother cooking for all the guests at the farm and that it wasn’t unusual for her or her brothers and sisters to help in the kitchen or on the farm with the guests.  Dinner was a noisy affair and afterwards they retired down to the fire pit for roasted marshmallows.  Charlotte asked Mary if they had any chocolate and graham crackers. Curious she said yes.  Charlotte taught them all how to make smores.  The children were excited to try the new “American” treat.  It was getting late and Mary and Tom took the children up to bed.  Sidney got a blanket out of the deck box behind the seating area and they snuggled up on the chaise by the fire.  It was cold and breezy out, but with the fire and the blanket it was cozy.  They were quiet for a long while just enjoying the night and the company.  Finally Sidney whispered in her ear, “In the summer I like to come down here at night when everyone else is asleep and sit and look at the stars.  It is much more enjoyable with you here.”  She very much liked being here with him too and told him so.  “I also get up at dawn most mornings and come down for a swim.  It is too cold at this time of year, but in another month or so it would be warm enough for me at least.  Most will only swim here in the summer months; even then the water is quite chilly.” “Did I tell you that Sanditon has a long history going back to the beginning of the town of men swimming sans clothing?  The women were always clothed and two hundred years ago with long draping robes that had weights sewn in the bottoms to keep their modesty intact.  Can you imagine swimming like that?  They had these bathing machines that used horses to get them to the waters edge and attendants to make sure the women didn’t drown.”<br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte laughed at that, she couldn’t picture it.  She could picture Sidney’s lithe body swimming powerfully through the waves though, she wondered if she would ever get to see that and made the comment to him.  He got slightly red in the face at that and said he’d see if he could be accommodating, perhaps in the summer.  They were both quiet after that.  It was the first time either of them had made a comment suggesting a future together.  Charlotte wondered if he’d noticed he’d said it.  Sidney was thinking he would love it if she would still be her in the summer.  He leaned is head down and gave her a tender kiss.  Would now be a good time to talk to her about how he was feeling about her leaving soon?  Mary had told him to just be honest with her, the worst to happen would she would go home anyway.  He wasn’t’ sure he was ready to face that.  Was a long distance relationship something he could do? He wasn’t sure it wouldn’t all fall apart over time and that frightened him.  He didn’t want to face the possibility of loosing her when he had just found his happiness again.  Could he go back to being on his own and the loneliness that came with that, he didn’t think so.  He only hoped Charlotte’s feelings for him were just as strong as his for her.  “Charlotte?  Um, I know this is too soon for you maybe as we have only known each other for a short time, but as you know already, I am totally and utterly in love with you and I can’t imagine my life with out you in it.  Do you have to go back to the U.S. after your lecture series is up next week?  Would you consider staying with me, we could live here in Sanditon or in London if you like.  We could continue the research on the ship wreck and if we decide it’s viable you could come along and help me with the expedition.  I love you and I don’t want us to be apart.  I don’t want you to go home.  Will you stay with me?” She didn’t answer right away and that made Sidney nervous.  Maybe he had rushed into this too soon.  He should have waited, he could kick himself.  He started to say something to stop her from turning him down, when she looked up at him and just smiled.  He held his breath in anticipation of her answer.  His whole future and well being were riding on her next words.  “Yes”, was all she said!  He could not believe his ears and needed her to repeat it so his mind would catch up.  “Did you just say yes or am I dreaming?  Pinch me…Ouch….” (Laughing) She was snorting with laughter beside him which broke the tension he was feeling. He loved how they could laugh together.  “Was my yes not specific enough for you?  Here I thought you were and intelligent man. (Laughing at him again) Let me see if I can dumb it down for you.  I love you too, so very much that it is almost painful.  I can’t imagine my life with out you in it either.  I know how fast it is, but I don’t really care.  I know how I feel.  I am sure that we are meant to be together.  I don’t believe in coincidences.  She reached her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss, running her fingers through his hair.  She loved how soft his hair was.  He deepened the kiss.  He wanted to remember this moment forever.      She loved him like he loved her and she wanted to stay.  They made love by the fire slowly, tenderly.  When they were too cold to stay outside any longer they walked hand in hand back up to their room and slept contented in each others arms.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     The rest of their time in Sanditon flew by and as they said their goodbyes, Mary whispered to Charlotte, “You’re so good for him.  It is nice to see him happy again, thank you for bringing him back to us.”  That brought tears to Charlotte’s eyes and she couldn’t say anything back so she just nodded her head and gave her a tight hug.  She and Mary were going to be close, she could tell.  Mary also told Sidney how happy they were for him and to be good to her, she was a keeper.  Sidney thanked her and hugged and kissed the kids and his brother.  He held Charlotte’s door open for her and then got in his side and started the car.  They would be back in London soon and Charlotte had to check in to her visa status.  She also needed to talk to her family about her change in plans.  She told Sidney she would probably have to go home soon for a visit.  She would need to see her family in person to convince them that she really wanted to stay and that she wasn’t rushing into this relationship with out thinking it through.  Sidney told her he understood, but the look on his face said otherwise.  When she asked him about it, he just said that he would miss her, that’s all.  She was glad that’s all it was, she thought he might be worried about her changing her mind when she got home.  She asked him shyly if he might like to go with her and meet her family.  “Of course I’ll go with you Charlotte.  I thought you’d never ask.  I’d love to meet your family.  Do you think they will like me?” he said with a shy smile.  “They will love you Sidney, because I have chosen you and I love you, you have nothing to worry about.  You are intelligent, loving and thoughtful, and not terrible to look at, what is not to love?” she said laughing at him.  She laughed at him a lot, but some how he didn’t mind a bit.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Some of our lovely fanfic authors leave links to further their vision with visual cues. I have borrowed that idea, so look for links at the end of the chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 18</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      The next week went by quickly.  Charlotte wrapped up her lecture series.  Sidney worked on research, mostly a a check list of what an expedition would cost.  He gave Edward a call.  He was in London so they planned a dinner out on Saturday.  Edward sounded excited at the prospect of a new expedition and working as a team again.  It would be like old times.  He’d read Charlottes book and was looking forward to meeting the woman who brought his friend back to the world of the living.  Oxford wanted to give Charlotte a big send off so they had planned a Gala in her honor.  Charlotte expected that Sidney would not want to attend so when she asked she was surprised that he was eager to be her date.  Sidney looked forward to seeing Charlotte in full evening wear and getting the chance to dance with her.  Charlotte wondered how Sidney would look in a Tux.  He might just be prettier then her all dressed up.  Mary suggested a shop in town where she could find the proper dress.  Sidney said he wanted to go shopping with her, which was shocking.  Her brother’s and father would rather cut their right arm off then to go dress shopping.  Sidney was just full of surprises.  The morning of their shopping excursion, he left early for his run and was gone longer then usual.  She didn’t think much about it at the time, just kind of noticed.  He didn’t say anything about it so she didn’t think about it again until later.<br/>     </p>
<p>     The shop Mary suggested was very fancy, the kind with a seating area in front of a semicircular set of antique mirrors and champagne, she felt pampered.  Sidney lounged in the seating area and admired her in all the dresses she tried on.  He was in no hurry, he was enjoying the show and watching Charlotte having fun.  It was like princess for a day.  Charlotte could tell when she had the right dress.  Sidney’s jaw dropped when she walked out of the dressing room and paraded in front of the mirrors like a run way model.  The dress was wine colored red velvet, off the shoulder with a small train in the back.  It hugged her and showed off the shape of her figure in a very flattering way.  “Will it do?”  Sidney was at a loss for words, he could hardly breathe.  He just smiled that half smile of his and nodded his head.  The shop had a recommendation on shoes and a salon where she could get hair and makeup done.           </p>
<p>     They called and made her an appointment for the afternoon of the gala.  Shopping accomplished they stopped at a pub for some fish and chips.  Sidney said you couldn’t come to London and not have fish and chips, it was Un-British! He was right of course the fried fish melted in your mouth and the malted vinegar added just the right balance, the hand cut fried potatoes were delicious.  Charlotte couldn’t get used to room temperature beer though. Sidney just laughed at her and said her “American” was showing.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     The day of the gala arrived.  Charlotte went off to her afternoon salon appointment. Sidney met the boys for a pint.  When she returned home the house was empty.  She figured his lunch with his friends was running long.  She got her dress out and put it on.  She was just coming out of the bathroom as Sidney was coming up the stairs.  He was in his tux pants with his white pleated shirt, black and silver cuff links, black suspenders, matte black dress shoes and the traditional bow tie left untied and hanging with the top two buttons of the shirt open, simply mouth watering.  She wanted to kiss him just at the opening of his shirt so she walked towards him and did just that.  He hummed his appreciation and told her how gorgeous she looked in that dress.  He wondered if she had anything on underneath.  He didn’t think so but he didn’t ask, otherwise they might not make the gala.  He went to get his vest on and suit jacket on.  He came back into the bedroom and handed Charlotte a large hinged box that looked a lot like a jewelry box. “I want you to have this as a reminder of how I feel about you.”   She opened the box and was stunned.  Inside was a diamond, ruby and sapphire necklace with a large ruby pendant surrounded with diamonds set in silver and gold, it looked old, it had to be an antique and priceless, it had matching earrings.  She started to protest, but he shushed her.  He explained that the set belonged to his mother and that when his parents had passed; the siblings each received some of her Jewelry.  He wanted her to have these.  She was overwhelmed and told him it was too much, she didn’t deserve them, and that they should stay in his family.  He just looked into her eyes, smiled that smile, and said that he didn’t think that would be an obstacle.  He wondered if she realized he meant that he wanted her to be his family.  It occurred to Charlotte that Sidney might mean to make their relationship a permanent one.  Was he telling her he wanted forever?  She found she liked that idea very much. Mrs. Sidney Parker had a nice sound to it.  She could easily get used to that.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     The gala was being held inside a portion of the Bodleian Library.  It was an enormous gothic room. Oxford was over 900 years old.  The cream colored flying buttresses created huge stone arch ways down a large rectangular space.  The room had huge two story windows lining each side of long sides.  The floor was mostly grey slate tiles with a few tan tiles mixed in to echo the color of the stone in the walls.  Old dark wooden benches lined the walls for seating.  There were no light fixtures in the room so tall candelabras with bulbs in place of candles lined the walls behind all the benches.  It gave and ethereal glow to the whole place.  An open bar was set at the far end of the room and a horderves table opposite.  There was a quartet playing chamber music with an open space for dancing.  After introductions and the guest of honor had been greeted, Sidney went to get them a glass of champagne.  Charlotte was slightly intimidated by the large crowd, this was a much fancier affair then she was used to.  It was like stepping back in time to another era.  She wasn’t sure what she had in common with most of these people and felt a little out of place.  She was sure she shouldn’t dance any of the dances that everyone here seemed to already know.  Sidney saw her eying the dancing couples with a slightly taken aback expression on her face.  He took her hand in his and whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry Luv.  Remember, my mother make me take ballroom dancing for most of my childhood.  I hated it, but she assured me some day it would come in handy.  Looks like she was right after all, it is not as hard as it looks, just follow my lead, I won’t make you look silly, I promise.” He gifted her with one of his half smiles, the one that she felt all the way to her toes.  She laughed at herself a little as he led her to the dance floor. He always knew the right thing to say to make her feel comfortable.  Sidney couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms and dance.  “Just hold me tight and look in my eyes, not at your feet. Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” Charlotte did as he instructed. She was adorably biting her bottom lip, which was driving him crazy, as she concentrated.  Before long, Charlotte had the hang of the Waltz and was actually having fun.  She wasn’t sure what she was worried about.  Sidney was of course an excellent dance partner.  She didn’t know why she doubted him.  Everything he did, he did well it seemed.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     They had an absolutely lovely evening.  She couldn’t remember the last time she had so much fun at a party.  She was introduced to so many people it made her head spin, alumni, donors, faculty and posh businessmen and women.  The most interesting person she met though was one Lady Susan Worchester. <strong><em>She’d already met a Lord, and now a Lady, next thing you know she would bump into the Queen.</em> </strong> Just about her mother’s age, tall, regal with a trim figure and long dark hair.  She looked splendid in her silver dress.  They had very interesting conversation and she really felt comfortable with the woman.  Susan, for she insisted Charlotte call her Susan, asked all about Charlotte’s book, her work, the treasure hunt she was researching, but most of all, she wanted to hear about her whirlwind romance with Mr. Sidney Parker.  She had known Sidney since he was young.  She was old friends with his parents. Sidney had been so alone for so many years.  She really liked Charlotte and could instantly see what drew Sidney to her.  She told Charlotte as much, which only embarrassed her a little. <br/>       </p>
<p>     As the evening drew to a close and they said all their goodbyes, she was pleasantly tipsy and ready to have some time alone with her handsome boyfriend.  It made her smile, she’d only known Sidney for a few weeks and boyfriend didn’t seem quite right given her feelings for him, but significant other was a mouthful, partner seemed premature, what should one call someone when all of the proper terms seemed to be lacking in expression? Well boyfriend would have to do for now since she couldn’t think of anything better.  Sidney opened her door and helped her into the car.  Her dress made it hard to navigate on her own.  Once again she was grateful for his thoughtfulness and attention to detail.  How had she ever lived without that in a boyfriend before?  Sidney was such a gentleman in the truest sense of the word.  Sidney looked her way and said, “Penny for your thoughts Dr. Heywood?”  “So formal Sir, I was thinking about the word boyfriend and how unsatisfied I was using it in reference to you.”   Sidney stomach sank and he frowned, she just laughed at him, again.  He was so amusing.          How could he possibly be insecure about how much she loved and wanted him?  She would just have to work harder she guessed, until there were no doubts left in his mind about just how much she loved him.  She was going to have fun convincing him.  She planned to start as soon as they got home.  “Why the frown Mr. Parker, are you doubting my feelings for you.  I was just thinking that boyfriend seemed tame since what I feel for you is so much stronger then that term suggests, and Significant Other is a mouth full and I hate it when people use that, partner seems a little premature, so we are left with the boyfriend term which I find so inadequate.” Sidney sighed and laughed at himself.  He really must learn to trust his feelings and hers.  He didn’t like feeling insecure, that didn’t happen to him often.  “My feelings exactly, Charlotte, you are so beautiful and I am so in love with you.” She smiled in answer and leaned over and kissed him on the cheek as he was driving, then moved to his neck kissing up to just under his ear.  She bit his earlobe and he groaned.  “Charlotte, we won’t make it home if you keep doing that.” She sat back in her seat and just smiled.<br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney sped up as much as traffic would allow.  He couldn’t wait to get her home.  As soon as they were in the door, he pinned her up against the wall and ravished her mouth, kissing her with more passion then he ever had before.  When they came up for air, he whispered in her ear, “Charlotte, are you wearing any underwear under that dress?”  She walked up the stairs and smiled over her shoulder as an answer and crooked her finger inviting him to follow.  She didn’t have to ask, he would follow her anywhere, anytime.  They made passionate love that evening.  They couldn’t get enough of each other.  The fell asleep exhausted in each others arms.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sidney’s mothers necklace     https://romanovrussia.com/antique/antique-diamond-sapphire-ruby-pendant/</p>
<p>Charlotte's gown for the Gala<br/>https://miro.medium.com/max/700/1*gWnM2AAGjMZwEkG7DO2kOA.png</p>
<p>Sidney's  tux     https://previews.123rf.com/images/grinvalds/grinvalds1507/grinvalds150700051/42379795-close-up-photo-of-man-in-tuxedo-with-open-shirt-and-loose-bow-tie.jpg</p>
<p>Bodleian Library     https://images.app.goo.gl/iFihPCQkMpRHEjys8</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 19</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Over the next several weeks they planned their trip to the States.  Sidney hadn’t been to the U.S. before and there was a visa to apply for.  They thought they’d spend a few weeks.  A week with her parents and a week in New York and parts of New England so he could see a little of the country.  Lunch with Edward was interesting.  He somehow made the possibility of the new expedition all about him, his reputation, and his interests.  They took it in stride though, because he had some good ideas and had the contacts they needed to set up a good team. They all decided that Edward would put together the expedition team and equipment, Sidney would work on lining up the funding and Charlotte would continue with the research.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte was done with the journal translation and the information reaffirmed that Sidney’s parents were looking in what they all believed was the right area according to the maps.  If they had survived the storm, it was likely they would have located the ship wreck.  It was starting to get real and they were getting very excited about the prospect of success.  Charlotte just wanted to consult with a close friend from her university days about a few peculiar markings on the map.   They were unique to a certain map maker and her friend James specialized in this area of cartography.  She had known him for many years and was interested in his opinion.  They had an appointment to meet with him next week.  She was also looking forward to introducing Sidney to James.  She thought they might hit it off.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     They spent some time doing touristy things in the city.  Charlotte had been there for months, but hadn’t seen much of London.  He took her to the British museum, the Opera, several plays, a walk on Piccadilly Square and horseback riding in Hyde Park. They also took a tour of Buckingham Palace and an obligatory ride on a double decker bus.  One afternoon they met the boys at the pub and Charlotte got to meet his best friends.  The meeting with James went well albeit a little tense.  He confirmed her findings on the map.  Charlotte wasn’t expecting Sidney’s reaction to James.  He went all jealous caveman on her.  She had never seen Sidney display any behavior like that before and she thought it was quite childish, although mildly amusing.  He was quite sexy when he was jealous.   <br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney was quiet on the way home.  She let him have some time to process his feelings.  When they got home, he said he had some emails to answer and left her in the study with the maps.  She wondered how long it would take for him to calm himself down.  After about an hour, she took pity on him and went to find him.  She found him in the library sitting in front of the unlit fire place with a whiskey in his hand.  He didn’t say anything to her, just watched as she crossed the room.  She went right up to him, took the drink out of his hand, downed the whole thing in one go, climbed up on his lap and straddled him.  He still wouldn’t look her in the eye.  Such a boy she thought.  Well she knew he couldn’t be perfect.  He had to have some flaws.  She could live with this one, it was kind of cute.  She put her finger under his chin and lifted his head so he would look at her.  He looked vulnerable and a little sad.  She kissed him.  When he wouldn’t respond to her she sighed and just put her forehead to his.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and just held him. They sat like that for a while and Sidney let out a long, heavy breath and finally brought his arms around her.  She moved her head to rest on his shoulder.  “I love you Sidney, Only you.  You know that right?  I don’t have feelings for James beyond friendship. I have never felt anything more then that for him.  I have only dated a few people, one of which I thought I loved at the time, but that was until I met you.  When I fell in love with you I realized that what I’d had before was infatuation, lust maybe, but not love.  I have never loved anyone but you, you beautiful, silly, jealous man.”  Then she laughed a little and said, “Buy the way, you are so sexy when your jealous!”<br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney smiled and laughed out loud, he couldn’t help it.  He felt foolish for his behavior at lunch.  He told her so.  He said he knew Charlotte didn’t have any real feelings for James, but did she know that James was in love with her?  It brought out a not entirely nice side of his behavior.  He was shocked at himself.  He’d never felt jealous before.  Eliza used to be a notorious flirt.  She’d liked to tease him with it.  Dancing with other men, making them think she was interested.  She never was, but Sidney had never felt an ounce of jealousy.  When he met James today, he was caught off guard with the strong feelings that welled up and he didn’t handle it well.  He wasn’t upset with Charlotte, he was angry with himself for not controlling his behavior.  He was embarrassed.  “I am sorry Charlotte, forgive me.  I am so embarrassed about my behavior towards James today.  I treated him badly and I was disrespectful to you.  Can you forgive me?  I love you very much and I think that has left me a little befuddled.”  “Of course I can forgive you, you were a little brutish, but nothing too terrible.  Even if what you say is true about James having feelings for me, it doesn’t matter because there can’t be anyone for me except for you.”  Sidney closed his arms tighter around her and held on.  She had to take shallow breaths because it was almost too tight, but she didn’t want to break the moment.   She wanted to give him what he needed.  <br/>Eventually he loosened his grip and leaned her back to look her in the eyes.  He smiled a shy smile and then kissed her, barely pressing his lips to hers.  It was a tenderly vulnerable kiss, a testing kiss, a verification of their deep connection.  Then he enveloped her with his lips, kissing her with so much passion, all of the tension of the day poured into that simple touch of bodies.  It was hungry and all consuming.  Sidney stood up and shifted his arms under her bum to hold her against him and walked them out of the library and up the stairs to their bedroom.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Their passion was a little frenzied, like they couldn’t come together fast enough.  It was a little rough, she would be a little sore tomorrow, she had some soft abrasions on her tender skin from his three days of not shaving, and more then one bruise where he’d sucked her skin a little too hard.  She’d left her marks on him as well, on his chest and some light scratches on his back.  Not enough to draw blood, but some light welts that might take a day or so to go down.  Later after they calmed down they’d talked well into the early morning hours, falling asleep just before dawn.  They slept in, it was 10am when Charlotte opened her groggy, sleep deprived eyes.  Sidney was smiling down at her.  He had obviously been watching her sleep.  She smiled back at him and lifted her head for him to kiss her.  Understanding what she wanted he leaned in and claimed her lips.  “I brought you coffee.  She looked over and sure enough there was a cup on the bedside table.  She took a sip, Cream and one sugar, just the way she liked it.  She gave him another kiss.  “You brought me coffee in bed you wonderful man, I should Marry you!”  “OK”, Sidney responded… “What?” Charlotte replied.  Did he just say yes to my silly marriage proposal? OMG, is he serious?  “I said Ok, if you want to get married, I am all in.”  Charlotte was speechless.  She just stared at him.  He had that cocky, sexy half grin on his face.  “I’ve just been waiting for you to ask me, equal rights for women and all that. I figured you were a progressive, modern woman.” He said, cheekily.  “Are you serious, Sidney?”  “Of course I am, Charlotte.  I love you, and I have never loved anyone more.  I can think of nothing I want more then to spend the rest of my life loving you.” “Well, I feel exactly the same way”  “Well then.”  “Well then.”  Sidney kissed her then and made it official.  When they came up for air they rested their heads against each other and smiled.  “Did we just get engaged”, asked Charlotte?  “Yes, we did my love.  I can’t wait to tell everyone.”  She laughed and kissed him and they spent the rest of the morning loving each other.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry dear readers for the delay in posting today. I try to get chapters posted early on Sunday's,  but life got in the way today. My mom and I have a booth in an antique sore locally and I had to go move furniture this morning and "fluff" the merchandise. Thanks for your patience.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 20</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      In the morning it was decided a trip to Sanditon was just what they needed.  Sidney would finally get to introduce her to Diana and Arthur as they were just back from travels abroad, and they could share their exciting news with his family.  Sidney texted Mary to give her a heads up they were on their way.  She replied the more the merrier.  He loved Mary.  She always made him feel at home at Trafalgar House.  They packed quickly and were on the road after a quick meal.  The drive went by in a haze of love songs on the radio which caused them to grin at each other and belt them out.<br/>     </p>
<p>     Mary had a proper tea set out when they got there.  The children were at a friend’s house so they had a little time for the adults to catch up.  Tom was shocked at their news, he wondered if Charlotte was pregnant.  Mary however was not surprised.  She could tell the last time they were here that Sidney was madly in love with Charlotte and that she returned his feelings.  She knew that it would only be a matter of time.  Sidney never wasted time when his mind was set.  Once Tom got over his shock he broke out the Champagne and there were hugs and congratulations all around.  The children were retrieved and Charlotte finally got to meet Diana and Arthur.  They were surprised at the news, but they could see how happy the newly engaged couple was and how in love they obviously were.  Arthur suggested maybe he and Diana should travel more often if they came home to such happy news.  Charlotte immediately liked Diana, she was a quiet and introspective sort, but she had a funny dry sense of humor that was very self deprecating.  Arthur was immediately her favorite of the siblings, giving her a huge hug, picking her up off the floor and spinning her around and kissing her on both cheeks effusively. <br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte helped Mary and Diana prepare a celebratory dinner.  Sidney took the opportunity to ask Tom if he could speak to him privately.  Tom walked back to his study with Sidney. Tom offered him a drink and they sat and talked about the resort a bit.  Sidney asked Tom if he still had their ancestor’s ring.  He said yes, he had wanted something more modern for Mary so he still had it in the wall safe.  Sidney explained that he thought it would be perfect for an engagement ring for Charlotte.  “Of Course Sidney, you are more then welcomed to it, I was saving it for a time such as this.”  Tom put in the code and retrieved it out of the safe and handed the box to Sidney, who opened it.  The ring was fourteen carat gold with three circular rubies in bezels each surrounded by smaller diamonds in a larger squared off bezels.  He hadn’t seen the ring in a long time; he’d forgotten how beautiful it was.  It was perfect, something unusual and beautiful, just like his fiancé.  She would love it, he was sure.  The ring had providence in his ancestor Tom Henry’s journal, his Charlotte would get a kick out of that.  He hugged a surprised Tom and thanked him, then went to find his woman. <br/>     </p>
<p>     Dinner was a lively affair, happiness, with good food and wine all around.  When they’d finished and the children were in bed, Sidney asked Charlotte if she’d walk with him on the beach. They bundled up in heavy sweaters.  Sidney grabbed a bottle of Champagne and two glasses and they made their way down the cliff to the beach.  The full moon was out so they could see easily and didn’t need the path lights.  On the beach, Sidney light the fire and got them a blanket to share.  They sat for a while listening to the waves coming ashore and watching the stars.  He leaned down and gave her a kiss and then to Charlotte’s great surprise, went down on his knee in front of her. She wasn’t expecting him to do this.  “Charlotte my love, I know we have already decided this, but I couldn’t let it go on without a proper proposal.  My mother would never be able to forgive me if I didn’t do it right.”  He pulled a small ring box from his pocket and opened it and took out the ring and held it up for her to see.  “This ring belonged to my ancestor Tom Henry, the one who started the hunt for the ship wreck we are continuing together.  He proposed on this beach to his sweetheart and she accepted him.  They were married for thirty nine years and had three children.  This has been passed down in my family for over 200 years and now I present it to you.  I have never loved anyone more then I love you.  I want to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much.  Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”  He smiled up at her then holding the ring out as an offering of his love and commitment.  With tears in her eyes, she was finding it hard to use her words, so she just nodded her head and held out her left hand.  He slipped the ring on her finger and it fit perfectly.  Charlotte had delicate hands so the small size was just right.  She smiled back at him and held out her hand to help him up.  He didn’t need it but she wanted the connection.  When he was upright again he took her in his arms and kissed her there by the fire, under the stars and moon with the music of the ocean in the background.  Hand in hand they ascended the cliff steps and walked up to their room to affirm their love.<br/>     </p>
<p>     Breakfast was a noisy affair with lots of squealing and hugs as Charlotte showed off her new engagement ring.  Jenny asked Charlotte if that meant she would be her Auntie now, which of course she answered yes to, and the child came running around the table to get a hug from her new Aunt, much to all the adults amusement.  Sidney loved watching Charlotte with the children.  She was so natural with them and always got down on their level to talk with them.  She was patient and always interested in what they chattered about.  He couldn’t wait to see her with their children.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     The next day was stormy which kept them all inside.  They spent the day playing in the playroom with the kids, building forts, having tea parties and playing board games.  It was a lovely day.  All too soon the weekend was over and they were headed back to London.  They had to get back for a meeting with Edward, Babington, Crowe, and some possible investors Sidney had lined up for the expedition.  The drive was rainy and they were quiet most of the way listening to classical music that fit the weather.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     In bed that evening after making love, they talked bout their up coming trip to the States.  Charlotte went into detail about all her family members to try to prepare Sidney for such a large group of relatives.  He was looking forward to meeting all of them and was hoping to practice and have all their names down before he got there.  Charlotte loved him all the more for trying but had doubts that he’d be able to remember everyone.  He took notes and made flash cards…so endearing, this man of hers.  She couldn’t quite believe yet that she got to spend the rest of her life with him.  She often looked at her ring to remind herself she didn’t make him up.  Sidney also couldn’t believe his good fortune was grateful for what ever he’d done to deserve Charlotte in his life. <br/>     </p>
<p>     It was traditional for gentleman in Britain not to wear wedding rings, but some did in modern times.  Charlotte wanted to present him with a ring for their ceremony and she wanted it to be special, so she need time to plan. One night when Sidney was sound asleep after a good deal of wine at diner with the boys, she carefully measured his ring finger.  She liked the idea of a 19th century regency period ring, but wasn’t sure she’d be able to find one in Sidney’s size.  His hands were quite large and his ring size was a ten.  She had an old friend in her home town who was a jewelry designer.  They had gone to high school together and had kept in touch over the years.  After a little research to find a design she liked she emailed a picture to Liz to show her what she wanted.  Liz loved the idea of making the ring and would get it done for Charlotte for when she arrived home in the States.  She hoped he would like it and want to wear it.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Charlottes engagement ring apparently the link I originally used for this ring description is gone, maybe it sold. This one doesn't fit the exact description, but you get the idea.<br/>https://www.kalmarantiques.com.au/product/antique-ruby-diamond-ring-from-the-1890s/</p>
<p>Sidney’s ring  https://images.app.goo.gl/KguJHoopAsTJ9q157</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>❤❤❤❤❤'s mark the explicit scene. Skip down to the second set of hearts if that's not your thing. You won't miss anything except the smut.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 21</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> All their bags were packed.  Charlotte had spent the previous week traipsing all over the city of London to find little presents to take home.  Since she was coming back she had plenty of room in her suit cases for her gifts.  Charlotte explained to Sidney that it was family tradition to bring back souvenirs when you traveled.  He was patient and accompanied her on all her shopping excursions, teasing her unmercifully when she went back and fourth on what key chain to get her brother or what trinket to get her sisters children.  Sidney only made two stops, Vintage House for a fine whiskey for his new father in law to be, and the sweet shop for some gourmet chocolate for Charlotte’s mother and siblings.  If they were anything like Charlotte, good chocolate was just the thing. <br/> </p>
<p>     The flight was comfortable as Sidney insisted on paying for first class seats. Since it was an over night flight the time went by quickly.  Dinner was served and they shared his ear buds so they could watch the same movie together, “My Cousin Vinney”, an American classic.  Sidney hadn’t seen it before and Charlotte had to remind him to be quiet when he laughed out loud at the antics of Marisa Tomei and Joe Pesci.  It was Charlottes all time favorite movie and she was glad he could appreciate the humor.  He would fit into her family well. First class was fairly private, but since neither was a big fan of being in the “Mile High Club”, they settled for some kissing and cuddling until they fell asleep holding hands.  <br/> </p>
<p>     The breakfast cart woke Charlotte; of course Sidney was already wide awake on his first cup of coffee looking refreshed and remarkably un-rumpled.  How did he sleep in an airplane seat all night and wake up looking like that, it was so unfair.  Sidney smiled sweetly at her and handed her a cup of coffee.  They laughed together remembering her joke of a marriage proposal.  Morning coffee would never have the same meaning. It would always be their private joke.  She was so sexy in the morning with her unruly curls and her sleepy eyes.  He was sorry they were in a plane full of passengers. <br/> </p>
<p>     He’d booked them a suite at a boutique hotel in down town Manhattan with breakfast in bed in the morning as surprise for Charlotte, before they left. He’d also made reservations online for one of the best restaurants in town; it was one of Gordon Ramsey’s.   He’d let her believe they would stay in some cheap hotel outside the city after picking up their rental car.  He’d let her wonder where they were going and wait for her to ask.  He was confident she’d like the surprise and he wanted to spoil her a bit.  He had an ulterior motive.  He had no idea if they would have a room together after tonight.  He wasn’t sure how her parents would feel about them sharing a room.  He decided instead of asking Charlotte, he would just go with the flow. <br/> </p>
<p>     When Sidney ordered an Uber at baggage claim, Charlotte was a little confused, but she figured it was to take them to the rental pick up.  Sidney smiled to himself.  He could keep the surprise to himself for just a little longer.  Twenty minutes into the ride Charlotte wondered aloud at how far they were going to get to the car rental agency. Sidney just raised his shoulders at her in mock confusion.  Ten minutes more and he could feel Charlotte fidget beside him.  They were headed across the bridge into the city.  Finally Charlotte couldn’t stand it anymore.  She asked Sidney if the rental agency was all the way in Manhattan and did he realize that when he was booking it?  He just replied that he had no idea.  Frustrated she started to question him again when he burst out laughing.  <br/> </p>
<p>     Surprised Charlotte just looked at him a little funny, not getting the joke.  “I’ve a surprise for you Charlotte.  I took the liberty of booking us a boutique hotel down town and we have reservations at Chef Ramsey’s latest Michelin Star restaurant.”  She didn’t know how to respond, what a lovely surprise.  “Thank You, that all sounds wonderful, but wasn’t that very expensive?”  “I wanted to do something special for you.  I can spoil my fiancé a bit can’t I?  Surely you know by now I can afford it.  I do very well for myself.” he said smirking.  “I know you can afford it, but I am not interested in you for your money and I don’t want you to think all of this is necessary.”  Smiling at her adoringly he says, “I know you’re not interested in my money Charlotte, but I worked hard for it and I want to be able to spend money on you.  It gives me pleasure to do it.  I want to give you everything your heart desires.”  She leaned in and whispered, “thank you” and kissed him tenderly saying, “The only thing I need, the only thing my heart desires, is you!”<br/> </p>
<p>     The uber dropped them at a very posh looking hotel where the doorman held the door for them while the staff retrieved their luggage.  Charlotte was glad she’d worn one of her more flattering work suits for the plane.  If she’d worn what she normally did when flying she would be in flip flops, ripped jeans, a tee shirt with a favorite band on it and a hoodie.  She would have felt very out of place here in that. Sidney had them all checked in very quickly and the porter led them to the elevator.  He inserted a key and pushed the button marked P for penthouse. Charlotte just kept silent for the ride wondering just how much Sidney had spent on their room for the night.  Even a cheep hotel in down town Manhattan ran six hundred a night.  <br/> </p>
<p>     The suite was breath taking.  The huge open space was windows on two sides, a small kitchen to the left and a door to the right which must lead to the in suite bathroom.  There was a seating area down a few steps in the center of the room with a tall stack stone fire place.  The bed was placed on the opposite side of the fire place facing out to the windows in the corner on the far side.  It was enormous and it was round covered in dark chocolate velvet.  Charlottes face turned bright red.  It was obvious what she was thinking.  Sidney found it adorable.  He tipped the porter and finally they were alone.  Sidney took her in his arms and kissed her thoroughly, grinning as he pulled away.  Well Dr. Heywood, do you approve.  She smiled, nodded her head and pulled him in for another round of kissing.  After setting their bags in the walk in closet, he suggested a shower before dinner.  He’d made early reservations so they could have a leisurely evening and not be out too late.  They need to get an early start in the morning as it was a twelve hour drive to her parent’s farm outside Beaufort, South Carolina.<br/> </p>
<p>     Sidney heard Charlotte let out a loud squeal and went running to find out what was the matter.   He laughed at her when he saw it was a squeal of delight at the huge air jet tub for two and double sized all glass rain style shower with temperature control jets.   There was also a sauna.  He was pleased with her delight over the facilities.  It was one of the reasons he choose this hotel.  He went up behind her and put his arms around her, moved her hair to the other side of her neck so he could kiss her there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p>     He brought his large hands slowly up her sides and palmed her breasts and toyed with her nipples through her clothes.  She moaned softly in pleasure.  Sidney answered with a deep hum of appreciation.  He slid her jacket off her shoulders and let it drop to the floor.  His hands then went to the buttons of her blouse and undid them one by one all the while giving her neck the attention it deserved.  As her blouse joined her jacket on the floor, Sidney makes quick work of her bra.  He whispered, “Don’t move” in her ear and left her to turn on the faucet of the tub. He spent a minute adjusting the temperature and then walked towards her unbuttoning his own shirt and discarding it. He came around her front and kissed her passionately on the lips, their tongues dancing to their own music.   When they came up for air, he reached for the clasp on her slacks and knelt down to help her out of them and remove her shoes and stockings.  His own shoes and socks were next.  He stood and dropped his pants and boxers in one swift motion smirking proudly at his erect self.  She giggled at him as he came towards her quick work of removing her panties.  He helped her into the tub and they sat with her back facing him and his legs straddling her.  Slowly they caressed each other anticipating what was to come.  Charlotte stretched around sideways to kiss him.  Sidney put his legs over hers and used them to spread her legs open.  He caressed her most intimate parts.  It was tense in this position because she couldn’t move and he had all the control.  He used his middle finger to enter her while his thumb massaged her most sensitive spot.           </p>
<p>     Charlotte moaned loudly and he just smiled in response, his cocky smile.  He knew what he was doing to her.  Finally she could stand it no longer and begged him for release.  He was happy to oblige.  It was a very intense orgasm.  Sidney kept massaging her gently until her breathing came back to normal.   He released her legs and put his hands back on her breasts to give them more attention.  He lifted her up and positioned her above him so he could enter her slowly.  They hadn’t tried this position before he was very deep and she felt very full.  Ever so gently Sidney lifted his hips.  Charlotte whimpered in pleasure.  He loved all the little noises she made when he loved her. He hummed his appreciation in answer.  Charlotte placed her hands on either side of the wide tub to gain some leverage and started to move up and down over him.   He leaned back and let her decide the pace.  She felt incredible he put his hands under her arms and caressed her breasts and pulled at her nipples until they were erect.  He could feel her tightening around hand knew she was almost there.  He wanted to see her face when she came undone around him, so he whispered in her ear, “Open your eyes my love.  Let me see you.”  She turned slightly so she could see his eyes.  “Come for me my Darling, let me hear you.”  Charlotte shivered and yelled out loud.  The sound reverberated all around the room.  Sidney followed shouting out his own release in answer.  </p>
<p>      They sat for a while like that, spent.  The only sounds in the room were their heavy breaths and the sound of the jets in the tub circulating the warm water.  They washed each other and Charlotte got on her knees and let the jet wash her inside.  She found it so pleasurable she stayed in that position for a minute or so she pumped her hips in and out a few times getting it in just the right spot while Sidney watched enraptured by the beauty before him.  Not long after Sidney was kissing her passionately as she moaned her orgasm into his open mouth.  He was so turned on he was instantly hard again.  Charlotte collapsed in his arms but shortly noticed the state of him.  That wouldn’t do, he couldn’t go to the restaurant like that.   She instructed him to sit on the side of the tub while it drained.  She got a towel to wrap around his shoulders to keep him warm.  She seductively dried herself and then put her hair in a messy bun so he could see her face.  She folded the towel in her hands and put it on the floor between his feet.  She put a hand on each of his knees and encouraged him to spread his legs to make room for her.  On her knees she took him in her mouth as far as she could and sucked on him hard.  He arched his back and had to grab the sides of the tub for balance. She proceeded to suck and lick him while fondling his balls in her hand.  He was so aroused he couldn’t hold off long.  He warned her he couldn’t hold it much longer, she just put him further in her mouth and licked his tip with a swirling motion of her tongue.  He came hard and shot down her throat. She swallowed all of it and released him.  She smiled up at him and licked her lips, while he just looked at her in awe.</p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Sidney loved how intense their intimacy felt. That was so sexy and he couldn’t believe how much he loved this woman.  Sidney stood and helped her up.  They brushed their teeth.  Charlotte watched him shave in the mirror as she dried her hair.  They helped each other dress and then had a drink in the seating area in front of the fire while they waited for their ride.  They didn’t say much, just enjoyed the comfortable silence and their beverages.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My Cousin Vinny is my all time favorite movie if I had to pick just one, besides Sandition of course! Very American humor juxtaposing Northern and Southern personality types. Very funny. I have watched it may times and it still makes me laugh in all the same places, even when I've already heard all the jokes. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it for a movie night.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So sorry again for the late post today. Had to help put Christmas away first. Just an FYI, I know Chef Ramsey has resturants in NYC, but I have never had the pleasure. The resturant is totally of my own imagination. Ramsey is a TV chef I admire and I think it would be so much fun to visit one of his famous restaurants. I made up the dishes based on food I've had at various Asian restaurants. I am an ameture baker and candy maker, so the chocolates are out of my own head.</p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤ As always the hearts mark explicit content, so if that's not your thing, skip to after the second set of hearts.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 22</strong>
</p>
<p>      Chef Ramsey’s restaurant was spectacular, all modern furniture and glass, with soft lighting.  The food was exquisite, Asian fusion with a modern twist.  They had little cold shelled crab claws with green wasabi foam and caviar for their appetizer.  Charlotte chose a Korean Crispy Barbecued Duck with a tangerine glaze and pan seared baby bok choy in sesame oil. Sidney chose a whole crispy fish in spicy three pepper sauce with cold lechee and seaweed salad. The wine parings were on par with Sidney’s tastes and the service was excellent and unobtrusive.  They enjoyed a leisurely meal with easy conversation, lots of long loving looks and sometimes a silly grin when the topic of conversation turned humorous.   Dessert was a selection of chocolates with an Asian influence, dark chocolate with green tea filling and shaved, sugared ginger; white chocolate with mango filling with and toasted rice; milk chocolate with coconut filling and dried grated Thai chili, served with a warm Thai coffee.  Fabulous!<br/>     </p>
<p>     Since they had loved each other so thoroughly before they left for dinner and they had an early morning they got into bed and cuddled until they were ready to sleep.  Charlotte giggled and commented before she fell under that it was a shame that all they were using the bed for was to sleep. Sidney chuckled in her ear and said in his low deep seductive voice, not to worry he would make time in the morning.  They watched the lights of the glorious view until they couldn’t hold their eyes open anymore. <br/>     </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     Charlotte woke with Sidney’s head between her legs and his tongue inside her just as the sun was rising.  She decided that it wasn’t the worst way to be woken up and closed her eyes again to enjoy the sensations he was creating.  It wasn’t long before he had coaxed an orgasm out of her.  He chuckled when he came up from under the covers and saw her adorable loving face and her messy curls.  “Good morning Luv, how was that for making proper use of the bed?”  “I didn’t hate it, but I think you could do better, I am sure.” She couldn’t keep her face strait and broke out in laughter.  Sidney lay on top of her and pinned her legs and tickled her unmercifully, saying indignantly, “Not the worst, huh?  I could do better, you’re sure, Huh? Beg me for mercy” Laughing so hard she could hardly catch her breath, she begged until he quit, both of them laughing hard.  When they finally stopped laughing Sidney looked at her in the eyes, spread her legs and entered her gently.  He loved her slowly and tenderly for a very long time until they were both felt well and thoroughly loved.  “Sweet dreams Luv, lets get a few more hours sleep before breakfast.”  “Ok my love, sleep well”  “Always my darling, I’ll always sleep well with you in my arms and in my dreams.”<br/>   </p>
<p> </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p>       Breakfast in bed was served at 8a.m., a scrumptious eggs Sardou with home fried potatoes and fresh fruit, orange juice and coffee. Satiated, they got on the road by 9a.m.  The drive to her family’s farm just outside Beaufort, South Carolina took about 12 hours with no stops, so they had a long day ahead of them.  The miles rolled by with road trip snacks and loud music with lots of singing when it was songs they knew.  They also would turn the music low and talk of future plans.  <br/>     </p>
<p>      Sidney broached the subject of when and where Charlotte would like to get married.  The proposal was so spontaneous they really hadn’t had time to talk about any details.  Charlotte said she didn’t see any reason to have a long engagement as she wasn’t really interested in a big fancy wedding.  A small outdoor wedding was just to her tastes, with close friends and family in attendance.  She could get married in a Church if Sidney liked, but that wasn’t necessary for her.  Her family wasn’t particularly religious, Church for weddings, Christmas and such, but not regular attendees.  Sidney said his parents were regular church goers and he was as a child, so he guessed he felt better having the actual ceremony in a church, but loved the idea of a small outdoor reception.  It was April and the expedition for Sidney’s family treasure was tentatively set to start the first week in June.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     They both wanted to be official before the project started and to have a few weeks for a honeymoon, The 15th of May seemed to be good timing.  Date set, all that was left to decide was where.  They considered Sanditon, but that would mean the whole Heywood clan would have to fly to England and although that was a possibility, Charlotte thought she might have trouble convincing her father as he wasn’t big on travel and had never been outside the U.S.   There were many fewer Parkers and close friends on Sidney’s side so it made more sense to have the wedding at Charlotte’s family farm, they could use the cottages to put up all their out of town guests.  They even had a little family chapel on the property where they could have the ceremony. The reception could be held in the gardens on the property and there was room for music and dancing in the barn.  Sidney was so smitten with his fiancé.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     That was a much easier conversation then he had expected.  He and Eliza had spent endless conversations on wedding plans.  She had wanted a big elaborate church wedding and reception that all her parents’ wealthy friends could attend.  It wasn’t Sidney’s ideal, but it was what she had wanted so he went along to make her happy.  He let out a long breath.  Charlotte looked over at him with a questioning look and he explained that he was anticipating a tense conversation and had been putting off asking her wedding preferences because of it.  She smiled in understanding and just reached over to hold his hand.  He smiled gratefully at her, kissed her hand and told her just how much she meant to him.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     They pulled up to the Heywood farm at 11:30p.m. Sidney really couldn’t see much on the drive in as it was so dark.   They had made really good time.  He wasn’t sure really what exactly he expected, but it wasn’t the mass exodus of human beings flowing out the front door to greet them upon their arrival in front of the house.  He was thinking maybe it would be a quick introduction to her mom and dad and then shuffling off to their rooms to have some sleep.  He was hugged and kissed and had his hand shook by everyone in the group.  They were all talking over each other; laughing, crying and hugging continually out on the front steps of the porch.  It was utter chaos and Sidney as the main event was caught up in the moment of it all.</p>
<p>     Once introductions were made and everyone had said hello, they all went as one arm and arm back into the house.  It was an old, large, white southern planter style house, with tall windows and black shutters.  A big box with a medium box and a smaller box stacked one on top of the other, with a Dutch gabled roof covered in green aluminum roofing.  It had a huge shady wrap around porch with lots of tables and chairs set about and large potted flower baskets hanging from the posts.  <br/>The interior had obviously been fully remodeled at some point as the house according to Charlotte was over a hundred years old.  The entry opened to a wide wooden stair case with original dark wood banisters and finished pine steps, up to a lofted open balcony that lead off in both directions leading around in a square format to the bedrooms.  The other side of the stair case opened into a three story great room with lots of windows in the peak to let in plenty of light and posts to hold up the second floor balcony. All along the back wall of the house were multiple sets of French doors that opened onto covered patio space and then into a large walled garden.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     To the left of the stairs was a dining space that ran most of the length of the house with room for an office in the back left corner.  To the right of the stairs was a huge eat in kitchen running the same length of the dining room opposite.  The back right corner held a large pantry that opened into a mud room.  The second floor had four large bedrooms on either side of the house each with an in suite bathroom.  The master bed and bath were on the back side of the house facing the gardens and had its own French doors and balcony space over the patio.  Who ever had designed the remodel of the home kept all the old southern charm and incorporated all the modern conveniences.  The home was exquisite and Sidney had never seen anything like it. <br/>     </p>
<p>     Everyone convened in the kitchen where Mrs. Heywood and a few helpers set out some food for the tired travelers.  Mr. Heywood broke out the whiskey to toast to the happy couple and the table erupted into many different smaller conversations.  Charlotte leaned into Sidney just for the comfort of physical contact.  She whispered, “Are you doing well?  I know they can be a bit overwhelming at first, but you will love them as much as I do once you get to know them.  Remember when we marry in six weeks, they will be your family too.”  Sidney leaned closer and said, “It is a lot all at once, but I felt immediately welcomed in a way I hadn’t expected.  They are all warm and wonderful, no wonder since those are just two of the qualities I love you for.”<br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney’s soon to be in-laws were eying their oldest daughter with her new fiancé.  They had been worrying about why such a rush on their relationship, but it was obvious that the two adored each other and were madly in love.  This made them feel better about Charlotte wanting to stay in England and they felt happy to except a new son into the family.  After all, who were they to judge, they’d had a whirlwind engagement as well marrying only after knowing each other ten weeks.  It was love at first sight for Mr. Heywood and his wife felt the same. They would have married the week they met, but their parents took a little longer to convince.  They had married young and been happily married for thirty five years now.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The Heywood family house. It's not an exact match to my description, but it is close.<br/>https://images.app.goo.gl/miHpKywWR1Yvs3Mv9</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 23</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Sidney was a happy man.  Allison had shown he and Charlotte to a guest cottage not far from the main house, their bags had already been brought in by one of Charlotte’s brothers.   Apparently the Heywood’s were casual about their children’s relationships and allowed them to make their own decisions about sleeping arrangements.  Mrs. Heywood had just asked Charlotte at the dinner table for all to hear and comment about!   He was even called out by Charlotte’s older brother for the blush on his cheeks when she’d brought up the subject.  He just had to laugh, he felt a little foolish for his prudishness.  It was so different then his own family who would have been embarrassed to bring up the subject around the diner table.  The Heywood’s discussed everything over a meal including, nursing, potty training, kissing a girlfriend for the first time and someone mentioned menstrual cramps.  Sidney tried to keep a strait face through out the gathering, but was slightly shocked at how open they all were with each other and how they freely offered their opinions on any topic that was discussed.  He’d have to be on his toes and think about his words before he opened his mouth in this family, or he may say something he could never live down.  He was comforted by the fact that they welcomed him in and just treated him like he was already part of the family.  It was going to be an entertaining week getting to know the Heywood clan.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     The cabin was a cozy one bedroom with a full bath and an open living room with a kitchenette off to the right side.  Allison mentioned having some basic staples and snacks in the fridge and pantry. She also showed them where she’d stashed a few bottles of wine for them. There was even an espresso machine. White washed both inside and out, which modernized it from a traditional style wood cabin.  There was a small fire place and a small screened back porch off the bedroom that looked out onto the fields where you could see all the spring vegetables planted in neat rows.  The bedroom itself was a good size with a king size bed and the bathroom had a double size glass enclosed shower.  It would be perfect for their stay, close to the family in the main house and far enough away to give the couple some privacy.  Allison said breakfast tomorrow would be at 9a.m., but if they wanted to sleep in after their drive, no one would take notice.  As they got ready for bed, Charlotte yawned.  It had been a very long couple of days.  Sidney pulled her close and whispered, “Sleep or sex”?   Charlotte laughed at him, and smiled coyly. “Can’t a girl have both?”   He just answered by covering her lips with his.  Then he took her slowly until they were both well and thoroughly loved.  They fell asleep wrapped up in each other and the covers.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     The rooster crowed just before sun rise.  Charlotte hated that rooster.  Sidney shot up in bed and she just buried her head in the pillows to stifle her laugh.  “Are you laughing at me again Charlotte?”  She shook her head, but she couldn’t speak she was laughing so hard, because the rooster crowed again making him jump a second time.  “Will it just keep doing that, and is it nesting right under the window, it’s so loud.”  When she could stop laughing, which took a minute, she explained that he would crow regularly throughout the day and he would get used to it by the time they left.  He highly doubted it and wondered if roosters tasted like chicken.  “Welcome to Heywood farms Mr. Parker, hope you enjoy your stay” Sidney just pinned her down and tickled her until she was breathless.  After some morning espresso and some loving, they got dressed and wandered up to the house for breakfast.  Eggs, bacon, fresh bread, fresh squeezed juice and coffee were on the menu.  There were even home made sticky buns with raisins.  Sidney would have to coax Charlotte out for some runs if they were going to eat like this the whole time they were here or he wouldn’t fit in his wedding trousers.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Of course there was commentary on the couple joining the family for breakfast.  Michael suggested maybe Sidney was too old to perform so early in the morning.  Allison’s husband joined in and said maybe he was too tired after being a passenger in the car all day yesterday while Charlotte did all the driving.  Allison snickered and said that she knew it wasn’t because the bed was uncomfortable as she and her husband had tested it out before they came.  Then of course he was teased by all of them for his red cheeks as well.  Sidney decided he was going to have to step up his game and observe her siblings for opportunities to poke fun back at them.  They were in for it; he had a long memory and was usually a very patient man.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Through with breakfast, Charlotte explained it was time for chores.  The younger children would help their mother in the kitchen, and then be off for the school bus.  The older children would go to the animal barn to muck the stalls and feed the animals before school.  Charlotte and Sidney were assigned to gathering eggs and milking the two cows that provided fresh milk for the family and guests.  Sidney wasn’t sure he was ready to milk cows.  He figured he could handle gathering eggs.  He didn’t really bring proper attire for farming, so Michael provided him with some work clothes and some muck boots so he didn’t ruin his nice “city” clothes.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte walked him through how to gather the eggs into a basket so as not to frighten the hens.  She told him frightened hens wouldn’t be able to lay eggs for a day or so, so if he wanted a hardy breakfast tomorrow, he needed to pay attention.  It was harder then he thought to get the hens to give up their hard laid eggs.  He was glad she had provided him with gloves or he may have more then a few peck marks on his hands.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     She took his gloves away for the milking though.  She said you had to learn the correct technique by feel and couldn’t feel properly through the gloves.  It took a while for him to get the hang of it, but he whooped out loud and scared his cow in the process the first time he got milk in the pail.  He apologized profusely to hazel for scaring her and petted her side to calm her just like Charlotte had showed him.  He spent the whole time talking calmly to Hazel and telling her how much he respected her and how grateful he was that she hadn’t kicked him or stepped on him.  He whispered how beautiful she was for a bovine and not to tell Charlotte or she’d be jealous of his affection for her.  Charlotte couldn’t help but laugh at him for his antics, but his sense of humor was one to the things she found most attractive.  In the end Charlotte was impressed that Sidney was able to get half a pail of milk on his first try.  She told him she was proud of him and he just grinned from ear to ear at her compliment.  He felt very confident as his first day as a farmer.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     After their chores were finished they still had a couple of hours before lunch.  Charlotte suggested some horse back riding as she knew Sidney knew how to ride.  She said it was a great way for her to show him the farm and she would show him her favorite spot down by the stream at the far end of the property.  They saddled their horses and Charlotte packed a blanket and some water in the saddle bags.  She also made sure to pack the shot gun in the holster, just in case they met any unfriendly animals along the way.  Sidney said he didn’t know she knew how to use a gun.  She said she was a crack shot.  A shot gun was a regular tool on the farm and one didn’t go out riding without one for protection.  She could also hunt if they ever got lost in the woods! Sidney was very impressed and wondered if he’d get to see her in action.  He was learning all sorts of new things about her on this trip.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte toured Sidney around only a few miles of the family farm which had a total of 350 acres or about 55 miles.  The property was beautiful with natural streams and an old natural spring they used in the early days of the farm as a watering hole for the cattle.  There were plenty of fields, both for grazing and for growing hay.  There was also a large wooded park that separated the grazing land from the growing land.  They stopped off at the spring about half way through their ride to water the horses and Charlotte set out the blanket she’d packed. Sidney was amazed that the horses stayed put as she hadn’t tied them up.  She explained they were used to it and would graze on the natural grasses near by.  The only way they’d run off was if an animal spooked them and then they’d just run back to the barn.  Sidney hoped that wouldn’t happen as they were several miles from the house and he was a little stiff from the ride.  It required muscles he usually didn’t have to use.  It’d been a long time since he’d ridden.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     They sat under a huge live oak tree.  Charlotte explained that these trees were native to the south east coast and only grew when they were close enough to the coast.  He had never seen anything like the Spanish moss that grew in them.   It gave them the look of long hair and he was fascinated by watching it blow in the breeze.  There were sounds of cicadas all around as it was getting late in the afternoon and the peeper frogs were singing.  The old limbs of the tree would creak occasionally adding to their mystery of being alive.  She explained the Cicadas were indigenous to the south and told her that the Spanish moss was actually epiphyte and didn’t take its nutrients from dirt or its tree host, but from the air and rain.  It was very peaceful.   Sidney loved watching Charlotte as she spoke about the land.  Her face was animated since she was very interested in her topic.  She made all the mundane seem exciting.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>     Charlotte only stopped talking because Sidney leaned up and kissed her softly.  She responded with a much more passionate kiss and started to undo the buttons on his flannel shirt.  He stopped her with his hands and looked her in the eye.  “You want to do this here?  Out in the open where anyone could walk up on us?  “That is part of the excitement isn’t it…the possibility of getting caught”  “I had no idea you had a naughty streak Charlotte! I think I really like it.”  He let go of her hands so could undress her.  She continued what she started until he was naked in all his glory lying in the dappled light of the sun setting through the tree.  She was so beautiful  naked before him in the last sun of the day.  They were frenzied in their passion, hands and lips everywhere.  It didn’t last very long until they both came undone together trying to catch their breath in between long kisses.  “Wow Luv, you were right about the prospect of getting caught.  If that is the way you react to being out of doors for this activity, we should consider living in a tree fort or setting up a hut on the beach”, he laughed.  She just kissed him again and started collecting her clothes.  They needed to get back for family dinner and they still had a few miles to ride.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Dinner was a hearty meal with roasted beef, potatoes and vegetables.  It wasn’t fancy, but it was plentiful and the fresh baked bread melted in your mouth.  Michael brought a small barrel of his home made ale and he and Charlotte’s brothers got Sidney quite drunk.  “You better take him home now before he passes out”, Michael mock whispered to Charlotte.  Sidney insisted he was perfectly fine until he stood up and almost fell over much to the family’s amusement.  Michael’s ale was stronger then normal, Charlotte should have warned Sidney.  Sidney was no stranger to drinking, but the alcohol in Michael’s ale was a lot stronger then English pub beer.  Charlotte helped Sidney home and got him into bed.  He was feeling quite amorous, but he fell asleep snoring loudly while Charlotte was brushing her teeth.  She put a large glass of water and some headache tablets on his bed side table, and took off his shoes. She tried to remove his pants and shirt, but he was dead weight.  She covered him in the blanket, told him “Sweet dreams”, gave him a kiss and fell asleep spooning him from behind.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte was awakened in the morning to Sidney groaning and holding his head.  She just smiled lovingly and pointed to the water and pills on the table.  Then she got out of bed to go make some coffee.  Coffee in hand she joined him back in their warm bed.  He thanked her for the coffee and apologized for falling asleep on her last night. At least, he was pretty sure he fell asleep as the last part of the evening was hazy.  She just laughed and said she was sorry for not warning him about the potency of her brother’s ale.  He laughed too and asked her if he’d done anything too embarrassing that he would be teased for at breakfast.  “Well”, she said and then started laughing.  You arm wrestled all of my brothers and won, so no embarrassment there, but then challenged my two youngest siblings to a karaoke contest and didn’t know any of the lyrics for the songs, so that was quite amusing and I am sure you will get quite the commentary this morning.  I think there was some video involved and may be some request for bribes not to post any of it on social media.  He just put his head in his hands and groaned again, which only make Charlotte laugh harder.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Breakfast went almost exactly how she said it would.  Half of the family had video of him making a fool of himself with the Karaoke machine and the other half was asking for copies to be sent to their phone.   He wasn’t sure he would ever live it down, but he took it all in stride waiting and planning for his opportunity at revenge.  Charlotte absolutely loved how Sidney fit in with her family.  He seemed to really enjoy getting to know them and took all the family teasing with good humor.  He even started participating in the sarcastic banter between the siblings, learning how to give as good as he got.  When he asked Charlotte to play a practical joke on her siblings, she was all in.  It took them half the day sneaking around and a little help from her mother for some supplies, but in the end they were able to get it all set up.  It was Charlotte’s job to get all her brothers and sisters gathered in the barn that evening after dinner. The idea was that Sidney had planned a fun game of flashlight tag and they were all to meet after the kitchen was clean under the hayloft to start the game. <br/>       </p>
<p>     Sidney was waiting in the hay loft with buckets of flower and water.  When Charlotte had everyone gathered in the right spot, Michael asked where Sidney was and she told him he went back to the cottage for a dark jacket and would be along shortly.  This is where Charlotte’s youngest sibling Lizzy was recruited onto the Sidolette team.  Lizzy played her part to perfection.  She said she’d run and look for him.  None of the others were paying attention when she left and Lizzy was able to bar the door and turn off the lights.  Sidney made loud ghoul noises in the dark and Charlotte and Lizzy chimed in with owl screeches and a barking dog to confuse their prey.  Some of her younger siblings helped unwittingly with the cacophony with loud screams of their own.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney turned on the strobe lights and dumped all the buckets.  All of her siblings save Lizzy were hit with a cold, colored, flour mixture.  Sidney cut the strobes, Lizzy switched the main lights back on and Charlotte had her phone ready for the video.  When the lights came on all her siblings were covered in colored goo with shocked looks on their faces.  Sidney could be heard from above howling with laughter.  Lizzy was laughing her head off too and Charlotte’s video was quite unsteady due to the laughter she couldn’t keep in.  Her two oldest brothers came for her as she backed away begging to be spared.  When Sidney descended from the loft her youngest siblings pounced.  It would be a huge mess to clean up tomorrow in the barn, but Sidney thought it was worth it for the looks on all their faces that they’d been pranked by him.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     They all went back to the house for desert arm in arm, laughing and talking about revenge.  Sidney would worry about that tomorrow, for now he was riding high.  Mrs. Heywood wouldn’t let any of them in the kitchen until they hosed down.  In the end they all sat around the kitchen table in wet clothes and towels with home made ice cream sundaes and hot tea in honor of Sidney.  They talked and joked for about an hour and then Sidney and Charlotte walked back to their cottage to celebrate their victory. <br/>     </p>
<p>     The week went buy way too quickly.  Sidney learned a lot about farming and sustainable crops.  He got really attached to Hazel and the hens.  That ended being his job every morning. He thought that was better then mucking stalls.  They spent a lot of time riding the land and several afternoons making love out in the open in one of Charlotte’s favorite spots.  Sidney joking that they would have to find some favorite spots in Sanditon.  He already had the wooded bluebell field in mind, and maybe the boat house on the river in the winter.  All too soon they were all out on the front porch saying good buy.  It was a mob again full of hugs and tears and promises to be back for the Wedding in six weeks.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     They drove back slowly up the coast back to New York.  Stopping when they felt like it, where ever their interests took them.  Sidney booked the same room in the boutique hotel for their last night in the city.  They made better use of the bed this time and the shower as well before they left in the morning.   They might just have to come back next year to do it all over again. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>     It was good to be home.  Sidney caught up on his emails and filtered through all the mail.   He had a meeting with some potential investors for the ship wreck and Susan had put him in touch with the antiquities curator at British museum.  He was interested in putting a small museum in Sanditon, dedicated to his family’s history in the town and his Great Uncle six generations back Mr. Arthur James Parker and his family with a highlight on the lost vessel and its recovery.  That is if they were actually lucky enough to find the wreck.  Sidney had a good feeling they were on the right track.  The museum curator was intrigued by the idea and interested in purchasing any intact antiquities found, for the museum.  They wouldn’t out right fund the expedition, but some of the costs could be offset if they found anything the museum would be interested in purchasing.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     While Sidney was at his meetings Charlotte was invited to a girl’s lunch with Lady Susan.  Charlotte had enjoyed meeting Susan at the gala and was excited to renew their acquaintance.  Susan sent a car to pick her up and then took them to Burners Tavern for lunch.  They had a lovely afternoon chatting about this and that and getting to know each other. Susan could see why Sidney was so enamored with her, she was unknowingly beautiful, with a witty funny charm and she loved to laugh, a true breathe of fresh air.  She would be good for her Godson.  As his mother’s oldest and closest friend she felt it was her duty to make sure the parker children were well settled.  </p>
<p>     She whole heartedly approved of Sidney’s choice and she told Charlotte so.  Charlotte was overwhelmed buy Susan’s remark.  She was the closest thing Sidney had to a mother and having her blessing meant a lot to her.  Susan insisted on making them an appointment with her friend at Givenchy’s the following day, she wanted to gift Charlotte her wedding trousseau and wouldn’t here no for an answer.  Charlotte insisted it was too much.  With slightly damp eyes, Susan asked her to please let her do this for Sidney and her, as it would make Susan immensely happy as a memory to her oldest and dearest friend.  Charlotte thanked her profusely and of course said yes, she didn’t see how she could possibly refuse such a heart felt request.<br/>     </p>
<p>     The appointment at the designer was a whirlwind of measurements and cloth and lace samples.  Susan ordered a the dress, a small veil, shoes and gloves to match, a dress to change into for the reception and of course intimates to go under both dresses and more for the wedding night.  Susan was under the impression a woman could not have too many silk unmentionables. Charlotte thought it was all too much, Lady Susan was very generous, but she just let the Lady have her fun.  The wedding dress design Charlotte chose was an old fashion style with an empire waste and a long flowing skirt to the ankles, capped sleeves with a low neck line showing an unsettling amount of cleavage.  The color was a pale cream with a gold band under the bodice and a sheer cream over dress trimmed with gold lace and embroidered with little gold flowers and vines.   The sheer veil would be made of the same over dress material and attached with a diamond and pearl studded comb.  The dress was everything Charlotte could want for her wedding day. Susan assured it was perfect for her and Sidney wouldn’t be able to keep his eyes off of her.  Susan was sure to take a sample of the gold color.  Sidney would need a bespoke suit with a waistcoat to match Charlotte’s dress. Charlotte would also need the sample for her attendants and the groom’s men’s vests.  Susan invited Charlotte back to her home for tea as they were both parched and a little hungry after their appointment.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte was impressed with Bedford Place and Trafalgar House, but they didn’t even hold a candle to Susan’s Stately home near Hyde Park, this was wealth on a level that she had never seen or even dared to imagine.  Susan was a gracious host and Tea was lovely.  Susan gave her a grand tour and talked about the history of the home.  After tea, Susan’s chauffer drove her back home.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Sidney was delighted to hear about her day with Susan.  He was glad to hear they got on so well.  He was pleased to hear that Susan had given Charlotte her blessing.  Sidney loved Susan and her opinion was very important to him.  It was almost like having his Mother's.  He knew his mother would have adored Charlotte and was over come by sadness that she would never get to meet her.  <br/>     </p>
<p>     Charlotte saw the look on Sidney’s face and understood he was thinking of his mother.  She crawled into his lap and put her head on his shoulder and just held him until he was ready to talk about it.  After a while Sidney moved his hands up to her face to guide her lips to his.  He was in awe of her.  She always seemed to understand what he needed with out words. She was generous and loving and he wondered what he did to deserve her. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Charlotte's dress a combo of these two with gold timings of course. You will have to use your imagination a bit.<br/>https://www.ieiebridal.com/products/boho-style-lace-wedding-dress-with-empire-waist-arisa?variant=49710489172<br/>https://www.pinterest.com/pin/466544842618304063/</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Bonus chapter for this week!<br/>You can thank our Sister who's handle on AO3 is RedPhoneBoxGirl003. She politely pointed out to me privately that my lack of spacing between paragraphs was distracting. Big shout out of thanks to her. I have found that copy pasting work into AO3 can be a bit frustrating since it reformmats the work. So thanks to her I've etided all the chapters to correct their spacing.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 26</p>
<p>     The weeks leading up to the wedding flew buy.  Charlotte was busy with preparations for the ceremony and reception, dress fittings and helping Sidney with the financing meetings for the expedition.  Edward had their team in place and was generating lots of press for the hunt.  Charlotte had lots of help from her mother and sisters, and of course Susan.  Sidney had lots of meetings to find funding and generate interest in the expedition and the subsequent Sanditon museum.  He had his appointment with his tailor and his wedding suit would be ready for final fitting the week before they left and he would pick it up the day before their flight.  It was cutting it close, but this was his regular tailor and he was sure he could count on the man.  He’d been using him for his whole life. <br/> </p>
<p>     As the days wound down everything seemed to come together.  They had an official date for the beginning of the Parker Expedition of June third.  Sidney had booked their honeymoon and was being very secretive of the location, only giving Charlotte hints that it would be warm and she would need a swimsuit. They would take from May 16th to June first and be back in Sanditon on the second to spend a day with family and pack for their next trip.  Sidney booked a charter to take his family and friends to the states.  <br/> </p>
<p>     They would fly first to New York and go through customs and refuel for the trip to Hilton Head Airport.  From there he’d hired limos for the drive to the Heywood farm.  He and Charlotte would fly over with them and leave from South Carolina for their honeymoon after spending the wedding night in their cabin on the farm.  The whole parker family was excited for their first trip to America.  Tom promised the children a trip to New York to see the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.  Arthur and Diana were off to see New Orleans after the wedding.  The Babington’s were bringing their children and Crowe was coming by himself for a change.  Susan was coming a day later and bringing Charlotte’s trousseau with her.<br/> </p>
<p>     The flight was the best way to travel.  Delicious catered food, Champagne for the adults, sparkling cider for the children.  Everyone’s oversized chairs folded down for sleeping.  Sidney and Charlotte had a private room in the back of the cabin and felt comfortable enough with as locked cabin door to quietly join the Mile High club.  A short layover at JFK and they were back in the air for the short flight to Hilton Head.  They rolled up like royalty at the Heywood farm just in time for Lunch.  If Sidney thought it was chaos the first time he met the Heywood clan he was extremely wrong.  The cacophony of noise that greeted Sidney’s family and friends was probably heard in China.  Once everyone was settled in their accommodations, everyone was invited to the main garden for lunch.  Mrs. Heywood and Michael set up a buffet of small finger bites with a large salad and fresh fruit.  There was wine, Michael’s now famous ale and whiskey, with fresh lemonade and coke in little glass bottles for the children.  <br/> </p>
<p>     The week leading up to the big day was busy.  Everyone pitched in to help, even Crowe, when he was sober.  He was a big fan of Michael’s ale and wanted to get him to agree to let him export it for distribution in London.  He promised Michael they’d make a fortune.  Sidney’s brothers and friends conspired with Charlotte’s brothers to plan a bachelor party and the girls decided they wanted Charlotte to have a hen night.  Neither one  wanted to be hung over for their wedding so it was decided that the respective events would take place two days prior to the big event.  Sidney’s only request was no strippers and Crowe accused him of being a wet blanket.  The took him to the favorite local bar for whiskey from Mr. Heywood, cigars, courtesy of  to Tom, and alternating games of pool and axe throwing.  Sidney was very adept at axe throwing and Charlotte’s brothers joked that they would never want to get on his bad side with that kind of skill.  Sidney thought it was brilliant that Michael’s ale wasn’t the drink of choice, but underestimated the number of whiskey’s her brothers were putting in his hands. Sidney was so drunk they had to carry him to the car.  He woke in the morning with penis drawings over every inch of skin that would be uncovered by his suit on his wedding day.  What was worse is they used sharpies to draw them and they were permanent.  <br/> </p>
<p>     Charlotte’s hen night was a sleepover party at Allison’s house.  They had catered food and lots of wine and watched old Romcom’s all night until they passed out.  When she got home she found Sidney in their bed fast asleep.  The note tacked on Sidney’s Chest when Charlotte came home that night said “Payback for the Barn Prank”!  She laughed so hard that tears were streaming down her face.  She was so loud she woke a sleeping Sidney, who was concerned because he thought she was crying and that just made her laugh louder.  She got up to retrieve the bathroom mirror, still unable to speak through her now snorting laugh.  It was really obnoxious Sidney thought, and the only thing he’d found that was unattractive about the woman before him, but it made him laugh too until he looked at himself in the mirror!  <br/> </p>
<p>     He got up in horror and ran to the bathroom for the bigger mirror.  He had penis’s everywhere, big ones, and little ones, hairy ones and exploding ones, on his face, neck and his hands and feet.  He was mortified and picked up his phone to Google if he could use anything to remove them from his skin.  His phone vibrated in his hand indicating a message.  The text had a video attachment.  Sidney being carried into the house by Charlotte’s brothers, them putting him in bed and removing his shoes, socks, shirt and pants.  They passed around the whiskey bottle and sharpie markers and all proceeded to draw on him while Michael manned the video camera laughing hysterically and shushing them the whole time.  Then they held up a paper sign written in black sharpie that said, “Paybacks are hell Parker…Welcome to the Family!”   <br/> </p>
<p>     Charlotte was still laughing.  Sidney was mortified.  This would ruin the wedding.  He didn’t understand why she thought it was so funny.  He yelled at her to stop laughing and that just made her laugh even harder.  He sat back on the bed and put his head in his hands.  When Charlotte was able to calm down she sat next to him on the bed and gave him a hug.  He groaned, “Charlotte, what am I going to do?  I can’t stand up and pledge my love to you in front of everyone we care about with penis’s on my face!”  That just started her off again, she couldn’t help it.  She went to her purse and got her mini hand sanitizer and some tissue from the bathroom.  “Don’t be too distraught My Love, this is the first time I’ve seen you really angry.”  She snickers a little but tries to hold it in.  “Let me make it all better for you she says in her best mom voice”, poking just a little more fun at him.  <br/> </p>
<p>     She proceeds to wipe off one of the penis drawings with a little hand sanitizer on a tissue and it rubs right off.  Sidney is so relieved he lets out a huge sigh and just stares at her.  “You knew this whole time that it would come right off?”  She nods her head.  Her brothers had tried this prank on everybody.  It was a family joke.  They knew Charlotte would get a big kick out of it, and their mother never would have forgiven them if it wouldn’t have come off his skin for the wedding.  When she explained it all to him he was still angry, but all he could do is laugh. It was a good joke.  “Pay backs are hell, and I am a very patient man Charlotte Heywood.”  Charlotte almost felt bad for her brothers.  They didn’t know what kind of monster they created. She could only hope she didn’t get caught in the crossfire.  She helped him wipe the rest of the drawings off his skin and suggested a shower.  She striped down on her way to the bathroom looking over her shoulder at him and asking if was planning to join her?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 27</strong>
</p>
<p><br/>
     The day of the wedding was a beautiful sunny spring day, big blue sky, white puffy clouds and just a slight breeze to keep it from getting too hot and to keep the insects away.  Charlotte was dressed in her gown and it brought tears to the eyes of Mrs. Heywood and Lady Susan.  Her hair was done up in a loose bun with a few little curls left loose.  There was a knock on the door and Mr. Heywood came in and brought a note and a box for his daughter.  “Sidney gave this to me yesterday and asked that I give it to you right before you go to the chapel.  She opened the letter.</p>
<p>
  <em>My Darling Charlotte,</em><br/>
<em>As you are reading this, I am standing in the chapel on your family property.  A few short months ago you walked into my life and changed it irrevocably.  I just wanted to tell you how much you mean to me.  I’d thought I would never find happiness again and you have turned a half living man into a man who suddenly finds the world bright and wonderful again.  I am longing to see you walk down the isle towards me today.  I can’t believe you want me for your husband and that I get to spend the rest of my life loving you.  I will take that responsibility very seriously. You have all my love, loyalty and faithfulness.  I can’t wait to be your husband and to make you my wife.  By the time the clock chimes the next hour, I will do just that. I will see you at the altar my love.  Here is to a life of laughter and happiness.</em><br/>
<em>Yours forever,</em><br/>
<em>S.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>P.S. What is in the accompanying box belonged to my mother and I would be honored if you would wear them today.  </em>
</p>
<p>     Charlotte opened the box and inside laid a beautiful diamond and pearl necklace with matching teardrop earrings.  She cried while her mother helped her put them on.  Susan tutted wiped her tears and helped her fix her make up.  Around the same time as Charlotte’s mother was placing the necklace around her neck, Babington handed Sidney an envelope and a small box.  He told Sidney that his fiancé had charged him with delivering this to him right before the ceremony was due to start.  Babs walked away to give him some privacy to read the letter.</p>
<p>
  <em>My Dearest Mr. Parker,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>     I hope you know how much I love you by this point.  I am so glad the hand sanitizer worked and we were able to remove the ink from your lovely face.  I would not have been able to keep a strait face during our ceremony and may have fumbled my vows by the loud laughter interrupting my speech.  Seriously though, I want you to know before I walk down the isle to take your hand how much you have changed my life.  I feel cherished by you and I can not wait to make you my husband.  I am so lucky to be able to call you that for the rest of my life.  I look forward to many years of passion and laughter with you.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>All My Love Forever Yours,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Charlotte</em>
</p>
<p>     With moist eyes Sidney laughed out loud at the audacity of his woman.  It was just like her to poke fun at him for her brother’s bachelor night prank.  He thought he’d only have them to contend with as far as the teasing went.  He was always underestimating her.  Opening the little box he was overwhelmed to find his fathers cufflinks.  They had been given to Tom to wear at his wedding to Mary.  </p>
<p>     How did Charlotte know?  The tears trickled slowly down Sidney’s face and Babs and Crowe came over to give him a group hug.  Babs helped him replace the cuff links he already wore for his dad’s pair and took the box back for safe keeping.  Sidney placed his love letter in the breast pocket of his jacket for safe keeping, right over his heart.  Finally it was time and the music began to play.  They had chosen Mozart’s Clarinet quintet K581 in A Major.  As the music started Sidney turned to look at the chapel doors anticipating his bride.  When the doors opened the bright morning sun silhouetted her and he couldn’t make out her features.  When his eyes adjusted, he was left breathless.  He had never seen anything so beautiful.  She was all cream and shimmery gold.  As she walked slowly towards him she had a seductive smile on her face like she had things on her mind that were definitely inappropriate in a church.   <br/>
 </p>
<p>     His answering smile was all she needed to calm the butterflies.  She wasn’t nervous, just excited and the adrenaline rush left her a little jittery.  The ceremony went by in a blur.  Vows were exchanged; rings were placed on the proper fingers.  Sidney cried when she presented him his ring.  He wasn’t expecting it and he was moved by her thoughtfulness.  He whispered to her that he would never take it off. The ring he placed on her finger was an early 1800”s posy ring, fourteen carat gold with an intricate embossed pattern with flowers and crisscrossing lines, embedded every so often with a small diamond.  Inside it was engraved with “Forever Bound in Love, S &amp; C” Sidney had found it on an antiquities auction and with the ancient engraving already in place, he thought it was fate.  Their guests were asked if they knew of any reason this couple could not be bound in Holy Matrimony.  You could hear a pin drop. Finally they were declared Man and Wife and he could kiss his bride.  <br/>
 </p>
<p>     Sidney gave her a chaste kiss on the lips as was traditional, but Charlotte was having none of that and much to their guests amusement, grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled him in for a passionate kiss.  The audience clapped and her brother’s wolf whistled.  They went to sign their marriage license with the chaplain while their guests gathered on the lawn in front of the chapel.  Hand in hand they walked back down the isle and out into a hail of bird seed and flower petals.  Sidney took Charlotte in his arms, dipped her and gave her a lingering kiss before righting her and letting her go to hold her hand.  He wore that cocky grin of his that promised more to come.  <br/>
 </p>
<p>     They had a traditional wedding breakfast to honor Sidney’s English heritage and then Charlotte went to change her gown for her day dress.  It was hard for Sidney to let her go and he whispered to her not to leave him for too long.  They spent the afternoon in the garden playing yard games and charades.  The Heywood’s had laid out a buffet of horderves and beverages.  As the sun started to set, the Quartet from the ceremony played classical music as guests enjoyed a three course meal on the large tables that had been set up.  The tables were covered in cream and gold linens and fairy lights were hung.  After dinner, the band set up in the barn for dancing, there was an open bar and that made for a very lively party. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sidney’s gift to Charlotte, first link after ads. Picture it with Diamonds instead of Peridot<br/> https://www.todjewels.com/edwardian-peridot-seed-pearl-necklace-w62480</p>
<p>Sidney’s ring. First google link on page,second picture down.<br/>http://parishotelboutique.blogspot.com/2012/05/sorry-box-not-included.html</p>
<p>Wedding music for Charlotte’s walk down the isle.  Mozart/Clarinet quintet K581 in A Major  Three violins, one Cello and one<br/>clarinet.<br/>https://youtu.be/_mKUYMQsFwM</p>
<p>Sidney's  Tux<br/>https://previews.123rf.com/images/grinvalds/grinvalds1507/grinvalds150700051/42379795-close-up-photo-of-man-in-tuxedo-with-open-shirt-and-loose-bow-tie.jpg</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>❤❤❤❤❤ Mark the explicit scenes. Skip to the second set of hearts if that's not your thing.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 28</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     It had been a lovely but long day and after the cake had been cut, the newlyweds were ready to retire and have some time alone at last.  They snuck off to their cabin while everyone was still on the dance floor.  Sidney couldn’t wait to get his wife alone.  He’d hardly gotten a chance to talk to her all day let alone kiss her.  As soon as they were in the door, she backed him up to the edge of the couch in their little sitting room and started to unbutton his shirt.  He had discarded his jacket and vest already earlier in the day.  She made quick work of it and removed his cufflinks, placing them in the pocket of his slacks. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>      She undid his pants and rubbed his length with her hand through his cream colored silk boxers. (It occurred to her that Susan had provided these, she’d have to thank her later).  He hummed his appreciation and pushed himself further into her hand to increase the pressure.  He kissed her long and hard. She dropped and removed his underwear and looked up at him with hooded eyes full of desire.  It was all he could do to hold it together.  He felt like a school boy during his first time.  He couldn’t wait to be inside his wife.  <br/> </p>
<p>     Sidney helped Charlotte to her feet and kissed her again, a slow wet kiss, all tongue and teeth.    He moved to her neck and collarbone, and slowly undid the buttons of her blouse with his deft hands.  He lowered his head and groaned at the sight of the sheer cream colored bustier she was wearing underneath.  He placed the blouse on the couch behind her and quickly bent to remove her heals and skirt. He was so aroused.  He didn’t think he could stand not being inside her for much longer.  She was wearing a matching garter belt, sheer panties and cream stockings with the ribbons on top that he loved.  He kissed the top of her breasts one at a time and used his tongue on her nipples through the sheer fabric.  He pushed down the cups of the lingerie under her breasts and that pushed them up to give him better access.  After giving them proper attention he knelt down and kissed her navel through the garment and slipped his fingers under the waste of the panties and pulled them down over her toes.  He left them on the floor and kissed her in her most intimate spot.  He was impatient though and that would have to wait for later.  He stood and lifted his wife and plunged into her in one quick motion causing her to call out her pleasure.  She was so ready for him.  Joined like that he carried her to the bed and ravaged her.  It didn’t take long before they were both calling out in their ecstasy.  <br/> </p>
<p>     Spent from their frantic love making and the long day, they lay in each others arms for a long while.  Eventually Charlotte decided she hadn’t had enough of her husband for the evening and she took him in hand.  It didn’t take long for him to harden under her ministrations. “Not satisfied yet My Darling?   I must have been neglectful in my husbandly duties”, he chuckled. She just hummed in response and then lifted herself to straddle his hips.  She took him in slowly.  He grabbed her hips taking full control and slowly lifted her up and down at a torturing pace over and over until she was so ready to have him pick up the pace.  “Faster”, she begged.  He smiled his half smile, the one she always felt deep inside her.  “What is it you want Luv? Tell me.”  “I want you to take me hard and fast”, she responded.  So he pumped into with force a half a dozen times or so rapidly, then lifted her and instructed her to get on all fours with her bum in the air.  “Spread your legs wider for me Luv…Yes”, he hissed through his teeth.  “That’s the way; let me see all of you open for me”. <br/> </p>
<p>     Sidney grabbed her hips hard and plunged himself into her in one deep thrust and then held still waiting.  Charlotte whimpered and wiggled her bum in frustration.  This is what he was waiting for and he pulled himself out and plunged deep again and held still.  Charlotte groaned her frustration.  “Tell me what you want darling.  I want to hear you say the words” He was so turned on, it hurt to hold still.  “Fuck me hard Sidney she begged, fuck me hard…Please”.  So, Sidney did just that yelling out her name as he came.  Charlotte screamed his name in turn as she came undone feeling him spill in to her.  <br/> </p>
<p>     Sidney stayed inside her and draped himself over her back to catch his breath.  They were both out of breath and slick with sweat.  When he’d caught his breath he pulled out of her, went to the restroom to wash himself and came back with a warm bowl of water and a wash cloth.  He rolled her to her back.  Wiped her face and chest, then her most intimate parts, cleaning the liquid that had gathered there as proof of their love making.  When she was all clean he placed the bowl on the bed side table and handed her a glass of water.  She drained it and handed it back to him.  He laid his head on her breasts with his arm wrapped around her.  She pulled up the covers and they fell into an exhausted sleep feeling well and thoroughly loved.    <br/> </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>     They were awoken by a knock on the door in the morning.  Sidney went to see who it was and opened the door to find nothing but a breakfast tray for them to enjoy.  The note said not to worry, no one would be around to disturb them save to bring meals for them to enjoy.  Sidney loved his new family.  They were kind and considerate and like Charlotte thought of every detail.  After breakfast they showered together and got dressed.  Charlotte’s texted and asked for a picnic lunch to be delivered.  They saddled their favorite horses and headed to the spring for a picnic.  They ate, talked and made tender love under their favorite Live Oak tree.  Satiated in every possible way, the packed up and returned to the cabin.  They had a plane to catch.  Allison had prepared their luggage while they were out.  <br/> </p>
<p>     All their friends and family came out to the front of the big house to give hugs and say goodbye.  They wouldn’t see the Heywood clan for a while, so there were also some tears and promises of future visits.  Babs gave Sidney a big hug and said how happy he was for Sidney and warned him to take good care of his wife, she deserved it for putting up with his brooding personality.  Sidney just laughed and hugged him back, thanking him for bringing Charlotte into his life.  Crowe hugged him tight and was amazingly sober.  He was staying at the farm for a few more days.  Apparently Charlotte’s sister Janie had caught his eye.  Sidney warned him to tread lightly; he wouldn’t tolerate Crowe treating his new sister badly.  Crowe just smiled, held both hands in the air and said “No worries Man, duly noted, I will act like a proper Gentleman.”  Everyone laughed at that.<br/> </p>
<p>      Charlotte hugged both her parents and kissed them goodbye.  Her mother held her for an extra minute longer knowing that her oldest girl was all grown up.  Sidney shook his new father in laws hand and Mr. Heywood pulled him in for a hug and said in Sidney’s ear, “Take care of our Girl, she is precious.  “I will Sir, she is my life, and I promise I will take good care of her”.  Susan hugged Charlotte good bye.  “Take care of him.  He is a wonderful man and he will be loving and loyal to you.   Be patient, he has had a lot of loss in his life and he can be a bit needy sometimes. He loves you, you know that.  Be kind to each other and make love as much as you can.  It is important to have a good sex life.  Change it up and be a tigress in the bedroom.  Men appreciate a passionate woman. Thank you for loving him my dear girl.  I can’t wait until you make me some grandbabies to cuddle.”, and with that Susan was gone, leaving Charlotte shocked and red in the face.  Sidney whisked her into the limo; the obligatory cans on strings on the back bumper with newlyweds painted on the back window.  He noticed her blush and asked her about it. She just smiled told him that Susan had given her some marital advice, but didn’t elaborate.  He chuckled, he could only imagine.  His mothers best friend could be quite forward in her opinions and wasn’t afraid to share them. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well my dear readers, when I started posting this storyline I had it half written figuring I could post a few chapters at a time while I finished. You will be happy to know I finished writing this week and the story is complete. I will still keep posting weekly, but may do a few teaser chapters in between. I am now going back to edit and I have to say Thank You to all of you dear people who' stuck with me.  I am finding so many editing errors that it's almost embarrassing. I appreciate that you keep reading the story because you liked enough to overlook all the errors.  Thanks again for being my beta testers.<br/>RMHraga</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 29</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>       Sidney had booked them at the Four Seasons, Bora Bora in the Otemanu Bungalow.  It was a one bedroom, open floor plan with a king size bed hung with mosquito netting, had a view of the lagoon and Mt. Otemanu and an infinity plunge pool on the deck.  It was luxurious.  They spent most of the two weeks in the bungalow loving each other, sometimes slow and easy, occasionally a little hard and fast.  They did some diving and took a few spa treatments together.  One night Sidney had the resort pack them a picnic and they walked down the beach and found a secluded spot where the enjoyed a meal and some out door loving that they had really come to enjoy.  There was something salacious and just a bit naughty about sex out in the open where the idea that they might get caught intensified their pleasure.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Two weeks flew by and although they neither of them was quite ready to give up paradise and return home, the date for the expedition loomed.  Back in Sanditon finally in the all too real world, they were in a rush to get all the proper paper work in order and get packed for their trip.  They did find a little time to go down to the cove at night to make love on the beach.  Not quite as much fun as Bora Bora as the water was chilly and the beach rocky, but beggars can’t be choosy.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The day of the expedition arrived.  Edward introduced them to the crew.  Babs and Esther were already on board; they had left the children with Mary.   They greeted the newlyweds with pleasure.  Crowe had a last minute addition to the expedition.  Apparently he and Charlotte’s sister Janie had hit it off and were quite the item.  Sidney was shocked.   He’d never seen Crowe take any woman seriously enough to bring her on a vacation for an extended period of time.  He was a one or two night stand kind of guy.  Charlotte wasn’t surprised however, she had seen the way Crowe and her sister had looked at each other at the wedding.  She wondered if Crowe knew he was in love with her sister yet.  She worried a little about his drinking and carousing, but he was sober for the second time in a row, so she would just sit back and see what happened.  Janie always had her own mind and wouldn’t take kindly to any interference on her part anyway.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Everyone was on board and they got under way.  It would take them a whole day or more to get to Kent as they were going against the tide most of the way.  Tom had handed Sidney another journal he’d found in the attic before they left that morning.  It must have gotten separated from the rest of the chest his mother kept.  He was excited to take a look at it and he and Charlotte found a quiet spot on deck to look it over.  It was in English, written in Thomas Henry’s hand.  It was later then the other journals, and written at the end of his life. He wrote about his sorrow and frustration in not finding his brother and the lost vessel.  He had spent most of the family fortune searching and his middle brother and Sidney had to bail the family out of financial ruin on several occasions because of it.  Sidney had taken over the building of the town after Thomas had abandoned it to the search for Arthur and his family.  Most of the journal was just the ramblings of a tired old man who had failed in the search for his youngest brother.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney was almost going to abandon the journal since it didn’t seem to have any information that would help further the expedition, but as he turned the page, the writing changed.  It was dated September 18th, 1834.  It was in different hand writing.  It was written several years after Thomas Henry’s death by what looked to be his youngest son James.  James wrote eloquently unlike his father.  He was excited by some new found information on the ship that took Arthurs life.  They had found an eyewitness that had been the son of the only surviving member of the crew.  He had been the captain’s first mate.  He had been floating at sea for three days when an English merchant ship had picked him up out of the ocean.  He had survived by floating on a piece of the stern that was left after the ship had crashed into the rocks.  In his coat pocket he had the captain’s log.  <br/>
 <br/>
      James went on to detail his meeting with the first mates son.  The man had no problem allowing James to purchase the captains log for a rather extraordinary price of a hundred pounds, a small fortune at the time.  After reading through the ships log, James was excited to report the location of the ships sinking but also, that it had been secretly carrying gold chests belonging to the Queen of Spain, Maria Christina, wife of the deceased King Ferdinand VII.  The gold was bound for England as a gift to the family of the fiancé of her youngest daughter Louisa Fernanda.  She was to be married to her intended at West Minster Abbey when she came of age.  The husband to be was of royal decent and was expected to strengthen the alliance between the two countries.  The gold was reported to have filled three strong chests and had gone down with the ship according to the first mate.  The first mates son had no means or desire to go looking for the ship wreck and was happy to give the task to James.  James spent the rest of his life trying to find the treasure and his uncle’s remains, but with out the technology to dive, it proved a fruitless endeavor.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Charlotte and Sidney were shocked at these revelations.  They were only in this to complete the family’s legacy his parents had given their lives for.  It was personal for him.  The idea of real treasure had never entered his mind.  Charlotte asked if he thought they should tell the others, or keep it to themselves for now.  Sidney was confident they could trust Babs, Esther, Crowe and Janie, but he was less certain about Edward and the crew.  Edward had displayed some sketchy morals in the past during their friendship.  He’d tried to hit on Eliza at their annual Christmas party gathering.  Sidney had also heard some rumors of past expeditions where certain items seemed to go missing during excavation.  They needed Edward for his contacts and his expertise with the equipment, but he wasn’t sure he could trust him to act responsibly with the possibility of finding a fortune of unimaginable value.  <br/>
 <br/>
      They decided to call their trusted friends and family to a private meeting in their quarters that evening for dinner.  They would wait to see what showed up on the underwater cameras for revealing what they knew to Edward and the crew.  The meeting went well and all agreed that it was prudent to keep the new information from Edward and the crew.  <br/>
 <br/>
      They arrived off the coast Kent, near Margate the following morning.  It was a sunny day, but the wind was blowing about 10 knots.  Edward thought it was a good idea to anchor and wait for the wind to dye down.  There would be too much drag on the electrical lines for the camera bots and they might loose them in these conditions.  Sidney gave him some specific latitude and longitude coordinates he wanted to try first.  Edward questioned him where he got the coordinates.  They hadn’t been noted on the original maps or journals.  Sidney just played it off as a hunch, but he wasn’t sure Edward or the Captain bought it.  They both looked at him a little suspiciously.  He just played dumb.  <br/>
 <br/>
      They motored to the new location.  It was just a little north of where his parents were believed to have been looking.  It was still too windy for the cameras, but they could gear up and dive with the little motored submersibles.  Charlotte and Sidney were eager to see if the new location held anything interesting and were quick to get their wetsuits and tanks on.  The suits were heavier then normal with heating elements imbedded.  The water temperatures here could be quite cold the further down they dove.  Sidney helped Charlotte lift her tanks on her back and checked her regulator to make sure it was functioning properly.  He checked his own regulator as well.  <br/>
 <br/>
      They strapped on dive knives and weighted belts and checked that their dive watches were synchronized. They each had two tanks which would give them approximately 90 minutes of dive time with enough air to surface safely.  It was important to be diligent in your timing, mistakes could cost a life. Lastly the both had a wet bag for anything of interest they might find. Thanks to Edward’s expertise all of their equipment was the latest state of the art professional gear. They would have a tether and follow the anchor line down to the bottom so they didn’t get disoriented in the murky water. <br/>
 <br/>
      They waited until everyone was in their gear and Sidney leaned in to give Charlotte a hungry kiss.  She looked so good in her wet suit.  It showed off all her lovely curves.  Edward gave the go ahead and everyone fell backwards off the side of the boat.  They each had a GoPro attached to their heads for live video they could analyze later. <br/>
 <br/>
      It didn’t take them long to get to the bottom with their weight belts on.  They had to be carful not to go too quickly so their bodies could adjust to the pressure.   With the wind conditions their view was anything but clear.  It was hard to see more then a few feet in any direction.  Sidney kept close to Charlotte.  He knew she was an experienced diver, but he still didn’t want to let her out of sight.  They used hand signals to indicate she should take the lead and used the compass on their dive watch to mark the GPS coordinates for the anchor and the direction they wanted to go.  They set their timers for 60 minutes to be on the safe side with plenty of time to get up to the surface.  The bottom was mostly sand and with their submersible motors they could move along a quick pace.  The submersible lights were much stronger then their head lamps and it made it a little easier to see.  Traveling along at a south easterly direction for about 10 minutes, they started to see some small formations along the bottom. They looked like a series of rocks, but they were too uniform in shape.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Curious they swam closer, checking that their cameras were on to document what they were looking at.  Sidney used his gloved  hands to remove silt and sand from the top of one of the formations.  After a few minutes what he found underneath had him really excited.  He had to remember to calm himself.  It was just a piece of timber.  That didn’t necessarily mean anything.  He also needs to remember to breathe evenly so he didn’t suck down too much oxygen out of his tanks.   Charlotte came closer to inspect his find and gave him a smile under her mask and thumbs up.  </p>
<p>      They spent some more time removing the debris from a few of the other formations with the same results.  They decided to follow the rest of the formations along to see how far they went.  After about 20 more minutes they had found 10 other similar formations and a larger one that looked like the top rail of a balustrade that would be on the upper deck of and old Spanish galleon.  That was promising.  They made note of the coordinates in their watches and circled around in an expanding radius looking for other formations.  They didn’t find any others.  Charlotte did find a few curious pieces of rock encrusted material.  They couldn’t tell what they were, but they were about the size of a small bouncy ball, the kind kids get in the vending machines at the supermarket.  They weren’t perfectly round though, kind of like they’d gotten squashed.  She put them both in her wet bag for later inspection.  Sidney found what he thought might be a spoon and that went into his bag.  Their dive watches beeped indicating they’d been in the water an hour.  Sidney made a motion with his hand that time was up and they should swim back to the tether at the anchor coordinates.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A liberty taken with historical facts, Princess Louisa Fernanda was a real person, but she did not marry into the British royal family.  She in fact married one of her mother’s distant cousins.<br/>There was an 18th century Dutch East India Company trading ship called “The Rooswijk” found off the coast of Kent in 2017.  The ship sand in 1740 almost 100 years before this story indicates, but again artistic license. All 250 passengers died.  Day’s later letters and personal items from the ships passengers washed ashore on the coast of Kent. There were several large chests aboard with contents owned by the Dutch government which retains rights over the ship and its belongings.  During the existence of the Dutch East India Company had 250 shipwrecks, bout only a third have been found.  </p>
<p>https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2017/11/mysterious-treasure-chest-found-shipwreck-kent-coast</p>
<p>Two nautical miles off the coast off Kent out past the sand and rock formations is a deep trough varying from 35to fifty feet in water depth, sitting at 44.93 degrees east of the southern most tip of  Margate. This is where Sidney’s Coordinates from the Captains log took them.<br/>http://www.gpsnauticalcahrts.com/main/1827_5-e-margate-nautical-chart-html</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 30</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Warm and dry after some intimacy in the shower they met up with their friends in the galley for some warm food and drink.  They all brought their finds, except Charlotte.  Sidney suggested they save hers for a more private audience since they didn’t know what they were yet.  They both had suspicions they might be coins and didn’t want to find out in front of Edward and the crew.  After a quick meal they all joined Edward and the crew in the work room.  The items were placed in trays of sea water so they would keep their integrity.  Removing debris and calcifications from items that had been sitting in salt water for hundreds of years was a delicate process and took time and patience.  Several of the crew was hired for their expertise in aquatic excavation.  Charlotte paid close attention to their instructions and technique.  Practicing on some of the items they’d found with the practiced eye of the experts watching over her shoulder and correcting her when she wasn’t careful enough. Sidney watched Charlotte for a while.  He wasn’t the least bit surprised that she was a natural at it.  She had learned how to take care with many ancient maps and artifacts and her expertise there helped her have a natural instinct for this work as well.   <br/>  <br/>      The group stood around the tables and watched as the two experts worked.  A few of the found pieces were just pieces of wood, but promising in their type.  They could be parts of an ancient wooden ship.  Sidney’s find turned out to be a silver tea spoon.  It was remarkably in decent condition with only the slightest pitting.  Babington had found a book surprisingly.  It had been bound in several layers of oil cloth and tied tightly.  I was remarkably well preserved.  The sewn binding was intact and the pages could be turned. The date inside was 1816, this got everyone excitedly talking all at once, this put their finds in the right time frame.  The text was in a Spanish dialect and it was a farming almanac of sorts according to his wife, their resident linguist.  The rest of the finds ended up being rock, save Edwards.  He‘d found several silver coins of Spanish origin and what looked like a woman’s broach.  All in all they were very encouraged and hoped that with some excavation the ship was buried underneath all the sand.  <br/> <br/>      The next few weeks were slow going, using pumps and hoses with water to blow sand off the search site a little at a time. The sight was very promising.  They had uncovered the stern of the ship and now knew that it was the right vessel. They only hoped the rest of the ship was intact, and not some where else.   It was sad and at the same time gratifying to think Sidney’s parents had been on the right track and would probably have found the wreck if they had lived.  The diver’s went down every day and worked as long as they could in the cold water. Taking turns in groups of four so they could get warm and fed before retuning to their work.  <br/> <br/>      Late at night after some alone time together in their cabin, Sidney and Charlotte snuck to the work room to work on their secret find.  They had shared their find with Babs, Esther, Crowe and Janie, but it was safer to only have the two of them in the work room at night.  Less chance they’d get caught at what they were doing.  They kept the items in a plastic container of sea water in their cabin during the day and brought it with them each night.  They were shocked to find the first item was a Spanish gold piece and were confident that the second would prove to be the same since it was the same size and shape.  When they had the first coin cleaned they could take it out of the water.  Charlotte kept it in velvet pouch in her toiletry kit.  <br/> <br/>      The others were just as excited on their find and the group spent lots of time speculating if they would find trunks full of treasure and what they might be worth.  Sidney said it could be an unprecedented amount if they found the trunks the captain’s journal described, but reminded them that how ever much it was, it would be the property of the Spanish government under international law and they would only be allowed the standard twenty percent plus expenses as a finder’s fee.  The British museum may have a claim on part of the find as some of the passengers were of English decent, but that would be determined after the find had been fully excavated and catalogued.  <br/> <br/>      Edward entered the galley and the conversation stopped.  That made him suspicious.  He noticed his friends locked in secretive conversations a lot the last few days and he wondered what they were discussing.  Sidney had always been his least favorite of his mates, probably because he always called him on his bullshit.  It didn’t help that Sidney always got everything handed to him, where as Edward had to grovel and work hard for everything he had.  He had a good reputation for locating even the hardest to find shipwrecks, even if there were a few rumors out there of a few items disappearing under suspicious circumstances.  Nothing could be proven and he had either bribed or intimidated all of the witnesses to his indiscretions. He didn’t agree with the normal finders fees.  He didn’t see why governments should profit so much from his hard work.  <br/> <br/>      Edward however was in debt up to his eyeballs after his last expedition.  The find was extraordinary, but not much treasure was aboard, so the finder’s fee wasn’t very lucrative and he owed a lot of money.  The Country of Brazil would only reimburse him for the equipment he had to purchase on their behalf.  They wouldn’t pay for the equipment he wanted to keep like the vessel they were now on, or the expensive under water cameras that were state of the art.  <br/> <br/>      Edward was on the hook for those and since he insisted on the best of everything, it was an incredible amount of money and his creditors were breathing down his neck.  He needed this expedition to pan out so he could pay them off. He figured if he had to he could hold back some of the find, he knew the right people and could always find a buyer for antiquities sold under the table.  There were many like him who didn’t feel like all the beautiful things of the world belonged in a museum for all the peons to gander at for their measly entrance fee. Sidney noticed the speculative look on Edwards face and figured they would all have to be a little more careful of their open conversations and save them for dinner in his quarters.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A little teaser chapter untill I post the next two on Sunday.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 31</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>      Over the next few days Charlotte and Sidney decided to dive and explore the coordinates where they found the doubloons.  They used the technique of circling the area in an ever widening radius.  They found several more rocks that looked promising the first day.  The second and third days they worked their way from the stern of the ship towards where they thought the bow might be and worked that area for a while.  They didn’t find much of interest and went back to where the stern was located.  The sand movers were working their magic. They had the top deck of the stern uncovered and were working around it to get to the main deck.  A few of the crew found pieces of what they thought might be one of the masts.  The ship would have had three, spreaders and booms as well, so it was hard to tell yet exactly which parts they’d found.  <br/>
 <br/>
      They worked each evening in the work room and had found three more gold doubloons and a handful of silver pieces.  A few nights ago they had heard someone in the hall out side the work room, but when Sidney checked it was empty.  They skipped the next night thinking it might be safer, and were back at it the following day.  They were concentrating on their work and were shocked when the door hit the wall with a loud bang.  They hadn’t noticed anyone walking about.  Edward came stalking into the room shouting about them hiding things from him.  Charlotte was quick on her feet and in a placating voice she explained they weren’t hiding their find from him, just making sure what they had before they presented it to him and the crew.  They didn’t want to get everyone’s hopes up unnecessarily.    <br/>
 <br/>
      Edward listened to her and she seemed to calm him down.  Sidney was again in awe of her and how she handled herself.  He wondered if she’d ever used that technique on him and then remembered the day she’d introduced him to James.  She was very effective and had calmed him down in exactly the same manner.  He wondered where she’s learned it.  Feeling calmer, Edward came over to see what they’d found and was ecstatic to see the gold doubloons.  He asked how many they’d found and where.  They showed them the three they had in the room and the silver pieces.  They held back the information of the other two stashed in their quarters.  Edwards’s eyes grew a little manic.  He started talking rapidly of the gold and what it would mean if they found a true treasure ship.   He seemed sure this would be the case.  Charlotte looked over at Sidney and he nodded to her.  She went to her bag and handed the captains log to Edward.  She told him she thought he should take a look at it, specifically the last few entries.  </p><p><br/>
      Edward read the pages and reacted badly again, throwing accusations of treachery and betrayal around.   Again Charlotte calmly explained away his concerns stating that they didn’t want to take the expedition on a wild goose chase and held back the journal until they were sure it might have merit, which it now did, and that is why they were showing him the log now. Her words made sense in his mind and Edward apologized for jumping to conclusions.  Sidney couldn’t be prouder of his wife, she could really handle herself.  He just sat back and let her take the lead.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Edward started talking about a larger crew and maybe another vessel, of getting the press involved so they could raise some funds and speed up the work. Charlotte talked him down off that ledge quietly steering him to the conclusion that he’d have to share his portion with more people that way, and making him believe it was his own conclusion and not hers.  She wanted them to be able to maintain control of the find and worried that if too many were involved, Sidney would loose the chance to head the expedition.<br/>
 <br/>
      The next morning Edward presents the gold pieces and the captain’s log to the whole crew.  Loud chatter erupts all over the galley with lots of questions fired at Sidney and Charlotte.   The night before they had chance to text their trusted friends to warn them about Edwards clandestine activities, catching them with the gold coins.  It was good thing too, so no one from Edward’s crew or even Edward himself suspected the others were already in on the secret that Sidney and Charlotte had kept.  <br/>
 <br/>
      This renewed everyone’s interest in the project and all were eager to speed up the work as much as possible, but all agreed to do it themselves rather then hire extra help to keep the news from spreading.  The last thing they needed was amateur lookey-loo’s out to find the gold.  Over the next week more coins were found on the sea floor around the wreck grid.  The documented the GPS coordinates of each find carefully.  The movement of the sand helped as the gold was heavier then the sand, all in all they had found fifty gold pieces and several hundred silver pieces along with some jewelry.  The more they found the more excited Edward and the crew became.  It worried Sidney and his friends.  The crew all seemed very loyal to Edward and took his lead.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Babington contacted a lawyer friend to see what they should do to protect the find and insure there were consequences if anything untoward happened.  He sent documentation and video of the find to date and asked that his friend hold on to it all just in case.  Sidney called Tom and Mary and discussed the progress of the expedition with them.  They were very excited for Sidney and Charlotte and Tom in particular expounded on the prosperity it would bring to Sanditon and what kind of changes that kind of money could make in the town. Sidney just rolled his eyes.  Just like Tom to be spending Sidney’s share of the find before he’d even found it.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The next day they had a break through.  They were finally able to breach the cabin and had access the Captain’s quarters.  It was very exciting and they were all on edge.  They couldn’t enter until the roving cameras got in there to take a look.  They had to make sure it was safe first before any of them attempted entry.  The weather however wasn’t cooperating and it was three more days before they could safely send the tethered cameras in for a look.  Finally the day dawned and the windy weather had died down.   The water was glassy with hardly any wave activity.  Conditions couldn’t be more perfect for the rovers.  <br/>
 <br/>
      They all waited with baited breath while the camera entered the captain’s quarters.  It was slow going to insure the tether didn’t get stuck or tangled.  The light was horrible they could only see a foot or two in any direction.  The gentleman manning the camera was meticulous though and was able to map out the interior dimensions of the room.  The camera then sent the info to the on boat computers through the tether.  The software then rendered a 3D assimilation of the room.  Once the perimeter was established he started at the right corner inside the door and drove the rover up and down the width of the room similar to the way you’d mow a lawn, stopping every so often at an obstacle bolted to the floor. <br/>
 <br/>
      At every obstacle the room got very quiet, you could hear a pin drop and then when it wasn’t a chest, you could hear a collective groan from the group.  They were at this for quite a while and it was clear that it would take hours to map the hole interior, yet no one wanted to leave in case they missed something important.  More time went by and the computer estimated they were ninety percent done with the mapping.  The group was trying hard not to get discouraged but it wasn’t looking good.  Chatter started up and they speculated where else in the ship the gold may have been stored.  It was always possible it was off loaded somewhere in secret and purposely left out of the logs.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Finally the mapping was complete and they sill hadn’t found anything that matched the descriptions of the chests from the captain’s log.   They were all discouraged.  They would wait until the computer finished rendering a final analysis of the room, but it looked like the chests weren’t there and it was back to the drawing board.  This hit Edward particularly hard and he grumbled under his breath and slammed the door on the way out of the work room.  Charlotte wondered what that tantrum was all about.  Surely this is the way these expeditions went. Most ended without any treasure in the end.  <br/>
 <br/>
      That night they cooked comfort food and broke out the whisky to drown their sorrows.  Some of the crew played poker, while others went to bed.  Sidney invited all their trusted friends back to their quarters for a more private conversation.  Babington was concerned by Edwards’s outburst.  It wasn’t unusual for him to have a temper or even to drink too much in their experience.  The friends had seen him “In his cups” many times growing up and drinking always brought out his bad temper, but this seemed different.  He seemed almost desperate and they all speculated on the reason for his desperation.  Crowe suggested they have someone look in to Edwards’s background since they’d all left for college.  He had an investigator he used a lot to do employee background checks.  He was good and Crowe thought they should give him a call, everyone agreed.  Crowe said he’d put in the call first thing in the morning.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>❤❤❤❤❤ Hearts mark the explicit parts, skip if that's not your thing.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>Chapter 32</strong><br/> </p><p><br/>      To everyone’s great surprise and delight the computer rendering was complete in the morning.  What they saw excited them all.  On the right side of the captain’s quarters appeared to be a set of floor to ceiling doors creating a closet like space. The computer estimated that the space was big enough to store the chests as they were described in the log.   This changed the mood of the whole party.  There was every possibility the chests were stored there, as there was a heavy metal lock on the front.  The news immediately restored everyone’s hope. They would send the rover down again to assess the lock and get a better idea if they could safely enter the cabin or if they needed to shore the space up with some expandable air pillows.<br/> <br/>      The rover was on the move again getting some good video of the lock and the door hinges incase the lock proved an impediment.  It would be nice if they could keep the doors and lock intact and remove the pins in the hinges instead.  Sidney thought he should take the opportunity for some alone time with his wife since all there was nothing to do at this point except wait for results from the rover.  <br/> <br/>      Sidney looked at Charlotte across the room in conversation with Esther.  When she didn’t notice because she was too engrossed in conversation, he walked over to her, took her hand and pulled her up out of her chair, kissed her passionately, gave her a cocky grin and said, “Come” and led her out of the room to Esther’s “Oh, My” as she fanned her face.    <br/> </p><p>❤❤❤❤❤</p><p> </p><p><br/>      Sidney took his time ensuring Charlotte was fully satisfied before entering her in one swift thrust. She was more then ready for him.  Oh, how she loved what her husband could do to her body.  He was such a demonstrative lover and she was never sure which direction he would take their loving.  She loved all of them.  She loved the slow and easy pace of his tender side and she loved it just as much when he was frenzied, hard and fast.  She really liked it when she took the lead and he followed her prompts for what she desired.  Let’s face it Charlotte, there isn’t any way you don’t like to have him, and he is all yours.  </p><p>      She giggled out loud at that thought and Sidney smiled in response and asked her what she was thinking.  “Oh I was just thinking what a good lover you are.”  </p><p>      “Mmmm…Just good Huh?”  </p><p>      “Well…um…better then good?” she said laughing at him.  “Fishing for compliments Mr. Parker?” More laughing.  He rolled her over and spanked her lightly on the bum expressing his displeasure.   He’d never spanked her before and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it.  On one hand, how dare he?  On the other hand it was kind of hot, and it hadn’t hurt.  She looked over her shoulder at him to gage his mood.  She decided he was adorable with that pouty lip, and the way he nibbled on his bottom lip slightly.  </p><p>      He looked at her see her response to the spanking.  She didn’t look upset at all and it kind of excited him that she’d let him spank her.  He reached down and caressed the red spot, soothing her skin and then smacked her again, a little harder this time, all the while looking at her in the eyes.  He caressed her again and she wiggled her hips a bit.  She decided this was exciting and she could see her husband growing hard again.  He just looked at her and waited for her to decide.  She thought about it for a minute and nodded her head slightly giving her permission.  </p><p>      Sidney grew even harder and his cock twitched in her direction.  She noticed and it turned her on even more.  “Charlotte, are you sure?  I’ve no desire to hurt you, but this is really hot.  Are you enjoying it as much as I am?”  </p><p>      “I am, surprisingly.  I never thought I’d be into this and I don’t think I want it with regularity, but it is really turning me on right now!” </p><p>      “Ok, I will continue, but please stop me if it isn’t pleasurable anymore or if it is too painful.”  She just waited for the next stroke. <br/> <br/>      In a commanding deep voice he said, “Answer me Charlotte, I need to know we are on the same page if we are going to do this.  I need to know you will ask me to stop if you want to.” </p><p>      “I understand Sir” Sidney waited.  She looked back at him again. She was even more turned on at the stern look on his face. “Um, I will let you know if I need to stop”, she said in a serious voice.  Dominant Sidney was really hot! He smacked her bum again on each cheek this time, and repeated it twice more.  Each time he caressed her hot skin with his hands.  After ten strokes he rolled her over opened her legs and plunged himself inside her.  Three deep thrusts and they were both coming hard.  He collapsed on her still inside.</p><p> </p><p>❤❤❤❤❤</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>       They stayed like that for a minute and then Sidney rolled to her side and pulled her into an embrace borrowing his face into her curls.  It took a minute for them to catch their breath.  “Wow, Charlotte.  I don’t know where that came from.  I think you might be the death of me.  You are so damned sexy.  You make me so hard for you.  I didn’t hurt you did I?”  She looked up at him and giggled.  He rambled when he was nervous.  <br/> <br/>      He couldn’t believe she was laughing at him after that.  He smiled shyly at her.  She answered with a smile of her own, saying, “Sidney, first, you didn’t hurt me.  It was totally consensual and I enjoyed what you did to my body.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with anything between two consenting adults when it comes to the bedroom.  Second, I think you are so hot as Dominant Sidney, all stern and demanding.  I quite liked it. Lastly, I love you very much and would be very sad if you died.”  She laughed out loud this time which caused him to laugh in return.  They got up and got showered and returned to bed feeling tired but well and thoroughly loved. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 33</strong>
</p>
<p><br/>      The weather was fabulous the next day and after all the data from the camera was analyzed it was deemed safe to attempt entry into the caption’s quarters.  Only two divers for the first try so they picked the most experienced, Edward and one of the crew, the crewman was retired navy and was a master diver. They would both wear head cameras and would each take a submergible along for better lighting. Several others from the crew would dive too, but be stationed out side the wreck in case they were needed.  The rest of the group would watch from the control room on the monitors.  They would get to see everything the divers saw in real time via the video cameras. <br/> <br/>      Once the divers were on the sea bottom they turned on the cameras and made their way over to the site grid.  They made several trips bringing all the tools they thought they would need.  Their master diver entered the cabin first to check for safety and to make sure they didn’t miss anything surprising on the video.  From the control room there didn’t seem to be anything unusual and watched the master diver give Edward the hand signal letting him know all was safe to enter.  The other divers on site handed the tools into the cabin.  <br/> <br/>      Edward and the master diver immediately got to work on the hinges of the doors, breaking the lock would be a last resort.  I took quite a while to get the first hinge pin to budge so they switched to the lower one, gently removing some calcifications.  They had better luck with that one and soon the pin popped up out of the hinge.  The got to work on the other side and were able to remove both pins pretty quickly.  The control room cheered when the last pin finally came loose from the hinge.  This was the moment of truth and all eyes were glued to the monitors and there wasn’t a sound in the room.  The doors were solid, but with the water buoyancy they weren’t very heavy.  They were however large and hard to maneuver in the dark around the other objects in the space.  </p>
<p>      Finally with the doors out of the way Edward turned his light on the interior of the closet space.  The room was silent as they all stared at the four wooden chests sitting on the deck flooring of the closet, all intact and in amazing shape for their age.  A collective cheer went up in the control room as they saw Edward and the Master diver patted each other happily on the back.  <br/> <br/>      At dinner that night in the galley they all discussed their find and speculated if the chests would really be filled with gold doubloons, or if they would be disappointed to find they were full of the captain’s personal belongings. It was also possible they were filled with other valuables belonging to the passengers held in the captain’s quarters for safe keeping on the voyage.  Considering all the coins they’d found scattered throughout the grid site, it was possible that some of the Spanish treasure had been scattered when the ship went down.  They could also just be items that were lost from the passenger cabins.  They had yet to unearth those parts of the vessel.  <br/> <br/>      Tomorrow if the weather cooperated they would attempt to raise the chests to the expedition vessel.  It would take most of the crew and a lot of planning and coordination, but if they started at just after dawn, they might be able to raise all four in one day.   They wouldn’t be able to open them until they were on board, and had taken full video, photographic, and x-ray documentation.   So it might be a few days before they knew what they’d found.  With that in mind, it was decided that they needed a resupply.  They were running low on food and potable water and didn’t want to leave the site unattended.  Sidney and Charlotte volunteered to make the supply run in two days after they had seen if the chests could be raised and a proper inventory taken so they knew what they needed.  Edward would stay behind to run things while Sidney was gone.  Sidney was confident that Babington and Crowe could keep an eye on Edward.  <br/> <br/>      Weather was uncooperative for a few days as a small storm had blown in and they battened down all the hatches and rode it out.  It took three days for the rain to peter out even after the bulk of the storm had past over them.  While it rained the wind was at seven knots and kept them from moving forward with their work.  The dive and the supply run were put on hold until the weather resolved.  Sidney and Charlotte spent most of the time in their cabin getting some much needed rest and relaxation. Well if you’d call three days of marathon sex rest. <br/>  <br/>      They looked online giggling together like teenagers and tried every different position they hadn’t tried yet, even some of the crazy ones.  They drew the line at anything dangerous.   The last few days had been very tense with the crew, so they were content to stay holed up in their cabin enjoying each other.  The storm wasn’t very potent, but supplies were getting low enough that meals were boring and all the booze had been consumed and that made everyone irritable, everyone except the newlyweds which were always smiling and happy.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please fasten your life jackets and put on your sunscreen, we are in for a bit of a bumpy ride.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 34</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     With the bad weather finally cleared the next day dawned perfectly.  The calm water and warm temperature were a welcome change.  The dive went ahead as planned and with a lot of work and a little luck they would have all four chests aboard the main vessel in one day.  Tired but happily satisfied with their days work they all went exhaustedly to bed with out much fanfare.  Sidney and Charlotte were set to make the supply run the next morning and looked forward to staying over night in a real bed with a privacy sign on the door.  The weather was grey and chilly when they awoke an after a quick breakfast they got themselves ready for their trip.  They’d been pretty much living in their wet suits, so decided to wear them for the ride over since the little boat was open and had no cabin.  <br/> <br/>      They each packed a small overnight bag with a change of clothes.  Sidney grabbed some lunch items and some bottled water for the trip.  It would take a couple of hours to get to the main land in the little craft. Sidney preformed a radio check since the cell phones would probably not have service after the left the main boat until they were closer to land.  Satisfied that everything was in working order, he went to find Charlotte.  He found her in the galley chatting with Esther and her sister.  They were giving her last minute items to add to the list.  Sidney just smiled and shook his head at them.  Women needed so many specialty products, but he loved them so he would indulge their whims. <br/>  <br/>      When they got back to the little boat one of the crew was just re-boarding the main vessel.  Sidney found that curious, but he explained he was just making sure the radio worked before they left.  Sidney laughed and told him he’d already checked it, but thanked him for his conscientious concern for their welfare.  Sidney pushed them off and the man threw them the bowline and told them to radio when they got to shore.  Sidney laughed again at the guy’s behavior.  He was acting like a mother hen.  <br/> <br/>      Sidney came up to stand behind Charlotte at the wheel.  She was very competent at the wheel so he let her be captain and he just held her while she drove the boat towards shore. About a half mile out Sidney noticed they were taking on water.  Only mildly concerned he switched the bilge pump on but it didn’t seem to function.  He switched the toggle up and down a few times, nothing.  Frowning he told Charlotte to mark their heading and he would check the fuse box near the engine.  The fuses looked ok, but the pump still wasn’t working and the water was up to their ankles.  He grabbed the radio to call the main vessel to tell them the problem and call to call the MCA for help.  The radio was dead.  <br/> <br/>      Sidney was trying hard not to panic.  Charlotte started to shake and had a glassy eyed look on her face.  He took her head in his hands and said, “Charlotte look at me Sweetheart. When she didn’t respond he shook her a little.  That got her to look at him.  He told her it wouldn’t help if she panicked.  They had to remain calm even if they were afraid.  They had to compartmentalize so they could concentrate on survival.  There would be plenty of time to panic once they were safely ashore.  She nodded her head and he took her in his arms for a moment and held her tight.  He pulled back to look at her and leaned in and kissed her for a minute,  long lingering kisses.  He took a deep breath and let her go.  <br/> <br/>      They had a little time and the engine was still pushing them slowly towards shore.  Sidney made note of the compass on his watch and the time.  The water was cold, he was glad they still had on their heated wet suits, that would help give them time.  Time they needed if they were going to survive this.  He had Charlotte steer the best she could and he started gathering any supplies he could find.  He got out all the life jackets, there were four.  He put one on himself and strapped one on charlotte. The other two he laid on the bench. <br/> <br/>      Charlotte had come to her senses and she was amazed at Sidney’s decisive mind in a crisis.  She had always been good under pressure, so this panic was new for her.  She was trying not to think about the danger they were in and focus on her task.  Sidney checked all the lockers and found a few boat cushions and the seat cushions had flotation as well.  He undid the bow and stern lines and found some extra line on the anchor.  He found one dry bag in a storage locker.  He also found a flare gun and several extra flares and a plastic container containing matches and a flint.  He packed all of that along with their lunch into the dry bag.  <br/> <br/>      The bottled water went into their wet bags attached to their wet suits.  He left all most of clothes in duffels they’d packed, most of that was useless and would weigh them down when wet.  The only things he took out were her hand sanitizer, his mouth wash, sunscreen and both their tubes of toothpaste and two tee shirts. They could use the first two for an antiseptic if they needed it, the second two could be eaten if necessary, and the two tee shirts were the kind you used for exercise, they were light weight and moisture wicking which dried quickly. They could use these to along with the sunscreen to shield their skin from the sun.<br/> <br/>      By the time he was finished the bow of the boat was tilting heavily forward, their weight in the back would only hold out so long.  He decided they would be safer cutting the engine and getting into the water before the boat submerged in case the suction pulled them down with it.  The next few minutes were spent lashing the rest of the flotation together.  He placed each of the boat cushions inside the extra life jackets clipping the straps around them and through the handles on the cushions so they wouldn’t come loose in the water.  He then used some of the line to lash the boat seat cushions together, lashing the four boat bumpers on either side of each float he’d built. <br/> <br/>      This gave him two pretty solid large flat floats.   Next he put the rest of the line in the dry bag and looped it over his shoulder and under his left arm; he was a righty and wanted to have that hand free.  He retrieved the flare gun raised his hand high over his head, looked Charlotte in the eyes and shot off a flare into the sky and placed it back in the dry bag.  The rest they would save until they saw a vessel close buy, or possible any aircraft.  <br/> <br/>      Hopefully they saw the flare on the main vessel and would call for help.  Sidney marked their GPS coordinates into his dive watch.  Sidney and Charlotte took their last look at the boat and held each other for a minute, a few tender kisses they let each other go and got into the water and swam a good distance from the small craft and watched it sink.  They climbed up on their floats with as much of their bodies out of the water as possible.  Sidney took a line out of the bag and used his dive knife to cut a length long enough to lash the two floats together.  He sheathed his knife and carefully put the rest of the line back in the bag, careful not to get it wet.  After lashing them together he carefully pulled himself up totally out of the water and slowly rolled over flat on his back.  He then instructed Charlotte on how to lie on top of him.  <br/> <br/>      It was tricky and they got wet several times when they tipped over.  Despite the seriousness of their situation their clumsiness made them laugh and helped break the tension. After a few tries they were comfortably on top of the cushions.  This would work as long as the wind didn’t pick up and make the waves larger.  Sidney broke out their sandwiches and a bottle of water.  They had to be conservative, but they also needed to stay as hydrated as possible.  They ate in silence, both contemplating the seriousness of their situation.  <br/> <br/>      There were some snacks they saved for later, and with the three bottles of water left Sidney figured they had a day and a half maybe two days before they were totally dehydrated.  He didn’t discuss this with Charlotte, sure she knew how precarious their situation was and for some reason voicing it out loud seemed like it would make it worse.  At last look, they were still a half mile off shore and the tide was pushing them away from land. <br/> <br/>      What seemed like hours had passed but in reality it couldn’t be that long as the sun was still not high in the sky.  Charlotte looked at her watch it was only a little after 10 in the morning.  Their friends on the main vessel wouldn’t know they were missing for a few days unless they saw the flare and that was unlikely since it had been several hours since Sidney had shot it off.  It was quiet except for the gentle lapping of waves and the sounds of their breathing.  Sidney’s brilliant quick thinking kept them dry as long as they were still and did not unbalance the floats.  <br/> <br/>      Tired of the quiet Charlotte started to tell Sidney funny stories of her childhood on the farm.  It was a good distraction and Sidney held up his end of the conversation by asking questions and interjecting a few stories from his own childhood.  They talked for hours, one topic after the other until the sun started to set.  As the last of the light left, Charlotte started to softly cry as all the fear for their situation overwhelmed her.  Sidney was trying to keep it together and be hopeful, but his wife’s crying made it hard to hold it all in and a few tears slipped down his face as well.  He was careful not to wipe them away so Charlotte couldn’t see how afraid he really was.  It was important to be strong for her.  Slowly so they didn’t tip over he put his arms around her and held her while she silently sobbed.  <br/> <br/>      Eventually she fell asleep and Sidney tried to do the same.  The wind picked up a little during the night making it hard to balance on the floats this way.  They were knocked off into the water several times, but were able to navigate getting back on each time it happened. Thank goodness for the warming wet suits, otherwise the cold would be brutal as the average water temperature at this time of year was sixty two degrees. <br/> <br/>      By the time the sun came up in the morning Sidney was hungry, thirsty and exhausted from lack of sleep and trying to stay on the float.  Charlotte had a little more sleep since Sidney held her, but wasn’t much better off.  They shared a few nuts and another bottle of water and settled in for another difficult day.  It was cloudy and looked like rain, but so far it was holding off and they were grateful for that little miracle.  Two more days went buy like this with intermittent rain and wind. <br/>  <br/>      Sometimes they weren’t able to totally stay out of the water with the waves picking up and making it impossible to balance.  They were almost out of water but were able to collect a few inches in their empty bottles.  Sidney had cut the tops off three of them and they were able to collect the rain water.  They used the fourth bottle to store some of what they’d collected.  Sidney tried not to look at his watch too often. It depressed them to see how far they’d drifted.  The only silver lining was that they should be drifting closer to the shipping lane where they might find some help. By this time their friends should have figured out they were missing and have reported them to the MCA as missing at sea. <br/> <br/>      Two more days with no rain or wind and they were out of food and water.  They were week and dehydrated and suffering from sun exposure.  The sunscreen and tee shirts helped but the glare was strong on the water.  Charlotte was lethargic and Sidney was having a hard time rousing her.  Worried, he thought of dunking her in the water, but didn’t think he’d have the energy to pull her back on top of him.  He tried splashing some cold water on her face, and even shouting at her and slapping her face.  She wouldn’t wake up, but she was still breathing and he could feel her steady heart beat.   <br/> <br/>      He was feeling desperate and loosing all hope of rescue.  He talked to Charlotte trying to remain calm, but as the hours trickled by at a torturous pace he was feeling more and more desperate.  He was week and worried he’d loose his ability to keep them on the floats.  He considered lashing them to the floats, but the possibility of a wave flipping them made him think twice.  Eventually Sidney told Charlotte how much he loved her and how happy he was to be her husband.  He cried at the unfairness that they had only had a short time to love each other. He raged at the unfairness of this unspeakable ending.  Spent from his emotions and lack of water, Sidney finally succumbed to unconsciousness. Just before he slipped away he mumbled I love you.  His mind was playing tricks on him, he thought he might hear an engine in the distance, but he was too tired to open his eyes and all faded to black.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please don't hate me!</p>
<p>MCA - Maritime and Coastguard Agency is the  British equivalent of the US Coast Guard.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This one's for you, Katijhawk. I wouldn't want to keep you hanging😉</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 35</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Sidney opened his eyes to a very bright sterile room with Babington asleep in the chair.  He throat was extremely parched and when he tried to speak, no noise came out.  His body was sore everywhere and he was so tired.  He’d never felt this tired before.  Quickly he fell back into unconsciousness.  The next time he opened his eyes it was dark and he was alone in the room.  He was still too tired to move and didn’t have the energy to try to call out for help and again he drifted back to sleep.  He was abruptly awoken the next morning to his Brother Tom’s booming voice.  “Mary, I am so worried.  I just don’t understand why he won’t wake up.  He needs to wake up, we can’t loose him too”.  </p>
<p>      “Tom, have some patience.  You know the Dr.’s have said he is physically fine and is in no danger.  He’s been through some trauma and he will wake when his body is ready”</p>
<p>      At this moment, Sidney found his voice and although it was scratchy, they heard him whisper, “Charlotte”?<br/> <br/>      They were both immediately by his bedside holding his hands, the relief all over their faces.  “Don’t worry brother, she is here, she is alive, all will be well”.  Sidney couldn’t believe the incredible feeling of relief he felt.  He had thought the worst and wasn’t sure he could survive hearing that he had lost her.  This small interaction wore him out and he fell asleep again.  He was having a wonderful dream where he and Charlotte were on a beach, just the two of them.  He kissed her and leaned up on his arm so he could look down into her smiling face.  He was just about to tell her how much he loved her when he woke up.  Diana saw his eyes flutter and was by his side and hitting the call button for the nurse.  </p>
<p>      “Sidney…Sidney… its Diana…can you hear me?”  He nodded his head and tried to speak, but he was so thirsty.  </p>
<p>      “Water”, he croaked.  Diana gave him some water through a straw and that helped.  He didn’t think he’d ever been so thirsty.  Then he remembered the rafts and the lack of water and he started crying.  </p>
<p>      “Charlotte”?  Diana wasn’t sure what she should tell him.  She didn’t want to upset his recovery, so she just said that Charlotte was alive and being attended to in the same hospital.           </p>
<p>       “Want to see her”.  Just then they were interrupted by the doctor and nurse coming in.  <br/>   </p>
<p>       “Mr. Parker, good to see you’re awake.  We were all worried about you.  How are you feeling”? </p>
<p>       “My, wife”?  </p>
<p>       “We will get to that, but let’s see how you are doing first, OK”?  </p>
<p>       “NO, I need to know about my wife!”  Sidney was getting agitated.  They didn’t want to give him any information and that made him really angry and worried.  It must be bad news.  He was braced for the worst.  </p>
<p>       “Mr. Parker, your wife is still unconscious.  You were both out on the water for a long time.  She was dehydrated and sun burnt and unconscious when you were found. She has no long term physical injuries.  She is in much the same state you’ve been in the last few days.  We have treated her burns and she is getting the nourishment she needs.  We are just waiting for her body to catch up.  Try not to worry too much, her prognosis is good.  We expect she will wake shortly.  She is much smaller then you so her dehydration was worse and it is just taking her a little longer to heal”.  </p>
<p>        Sidney sighed heavily in relief.  “When can I see her”?  </p>
<p>      “Just as soon as we have checked you out I will have an orderly come with a wheel chair and take you to her room.  The doctor finished up with his examination.  He gave instructions to rest and have plenty of fluids with a soft diet for a few days until his body had some time to adjust.  Diana made the calls to family and friends to let them know Sidney was awake.  The wheel chair took forever and Sidney was impatient and tried to get out of bed but had to sink back to a sitting position as he was too weak to stand.  He was frustrated and taking it out on Diana when the orderly showed up.  About damn time he thought to himself.  Diana was relieved.  <br/> <br/>      Charlotte looked so small in the hospital bed.  She had burns on her face and arms from sun exposure, but other wise she looked good.  Someone had obviously brushed her hair and brought her a sweater to wear, probably Mary or Janie.  Sidney sat by her bed and held her hand grateful they were both alive.  His family and friends began to show up.  They were hugs traded all around.  Everyone was so relieved to see Sidney awake and up moving around.  He looked thin and haggard and badly sun burned, but other then that he seemed back to himself.  Now if only Charlotte would come around then all would truly be well.  <br/> <br/>      Several days went by.  Sidney had been released from the hospital but still spent all his time by Charlotte’s side willing her to wake up, but with her usual stubbornness, she wasn’t ready yet.  Of course she would do it in her own time.  Eventually in the afternoon of the third day Sidney had been awake, Charlotte finally opened her eyes.  Sidney couldn’t help crying on her shoulder.  He was so relieved that she was awake.  The doctors examined her and prescribed rest and liquids.  It took two more days before she was well enough to go home.  <br/> <br/>      They took a week for them to recuperate and spend time together.  They reflected on how much worse the situation could have been and were both so happy nothing worse had happened to either of them.  At the end of the week Charlotte finally confronted the elephant in the room.  Sidney had been avoiding talking about the accident or how it could have happened.  He didn’t want to break the bubble they were in.  If he acknowledged what he had been thinking, everything that had been peaceful about the last week would be shattered and he wasn’t sure he was ready to confront all of the feelings that would bring.  “Sidney, are we going to talk about the accident, or are we going to avoid it forever” </p>
<p>      He frowned at her, “I am not avoiding.  I am just enjoying the peace and quiet.”  She walked over to him and put her arms around him for a hug.  He quickly hugged her back happy to have her in his arms.  He leaned in and kissed her.  They hadn’t made love since the morning of the accident which was almost two weeks ago now.  He missed her.  She responded to his kiss.  She’d missed him too.  He took her hand and walked them to the bedroom.  They spent the rest of the afternoon loving each other happy to be alive.  <br/> <br/>      When they were both spent and he was drawing lazy circles on her back with his fingers, she brought it up again.  He was silent.  He didn’t want to talk about it.  He didn’t want to think to hard about how close he’d come to loosing her.  He’d been able to keep those emotions at bay, but if they talked about what happened then he would have to confront them.  “Sidney, we can’t ignore this any longer.  I am worried about you and I don’t think you are dealing with your trauma well, talk to me, please”? He let out a long breath.  How could he resist her when she put it like that?  </p>
<p>      “I don’t think it was an accident and I am afraid of what that means.  I am afraid it might mean we are still in danger and I don’t know what to do about it all”, he finally stammers.  Tears were rolling silently down his face and she sat up to gather him to her.  <br/> </p>
<p>       “It will be Ok, my love.  We are safe.  We are together and we will figure a way forward”.  She leaned back and dried his tears.  Her kind strong husband’s tears broke her heart.  <br/> <br/>      She told him she’d been thinking the same thing.  It couldn’t have been an accident.  The boats and all of the equipment had all been checked out before the expedition. They needed a family meeting and they needed to involve Crowe, Edward, and the Babington’s as well.  While Sidney was in the shower, Charlotte called Mary and asked her to gather everyone at Trafalgar House.  Mary was happy to help.  Charlotte joined her husband in the shower and after some more tender lovemaking, she told him to get dressed, they had someplace to be.  <br/> <br/>      When they arrived at Trafalgar House Sidney was surprised to find all his friends and family gathered. Everyone was there except Edward.  Mary could not get a hold of him; his phone just kept going to voicemail.  She’d left him several messages, but hadn’t received a call back.  Charlotte took charge of the meeting.  Sidney was in awe of her.  With all she’d been through the last two weeks she was holding it together so much better then he was. Charlotte told everyone assembled about her and Sidney’s suspicions about the accident not being an accident.  <br/> <br/>      Shocked chaos broke out as everyone talked all at once speculating about who could have wanted to hurt Sidney and Charlotte.  They just couldn’t believe anyone could do that.  Babington spoke up and asked if there was anyone they suspected.  They answered in the negative.  They were friends or family with everyone here, the only strangers to the expedition were Edwards’s men, but they were all being paid well and were regulars in the treasure hunting field.  It didn’t seem likely that any of them would have tried to sabotage the supply boat.  Crowe, who had already had quite a few helpings of Tom’s best whiskey spoke up and asked where Edward was?  </p>
<p>      The room got quiet all of a sudden.  No one thought much of Edward not showing up since Mary couldn’t get a hold of him.  Sidney asked if anyone had spoken to him lately.  No one had heard from since they’d gotten word that Sidney and Charlotte had been rescued by her Majesty’s Coast Guard.  You could hear a pin drop.  Sidney said that he couldn’t believe that Edward could have anything to do with it.  There had to be some other explanation.  Babington agreed, but Crowe just made a humming noise under his breath.  “What do you know Crowe”? Babington asked? </p>
<p>       “Only rumor and innuendo, nothing concrete”.  </p>
<p><br/>       “Spill it Crowe”, Sidney growled.  <br/> <br/>        Crowe explained that last week he’d been in contact with one of Edward’s old expedition partners.  They’d met at a club one night and gotten to talking and realized they both knew Edward.  They’d had quite a bit to drink so the man’s tongue was loose and he’d talked about working with Edward on the last expedition and how desperate he’d been to find anything of value and was very angry when the find turned out to be nothing much.  Edward had over extended himself for the expedition and his last few hadn’t yielded much either and he was in a desperate financial situation over it.  Since that night Crowe had his people looking into Edward’s financials, not exactly legally.  Turned out that Edward was in the hole for 1.5 million pounds and his creditors were ready to call in the loan.  <br/> <br/>        Babington spoke up.  He had wondered why Edward had been so excited about their little expedition.  He’d have thought Edward would have thought it beneath him to participate in something so small with little chance of reward.  He had a reputation to uphold after all.  Sidney asked why he hadn’t said anything before.  Babington explained that he didn’t want to get in the way since everything seemed on the up and up.  Edward had provided knowledge and equipment, so he didn’t think much more about it at the time, but hindsight is twenty-twenty.  <br/> <br/>        They broke the meeting agreeing that first they needed to locate and talk with Edward.  No one wanted to believe the worst of him.  They had all been friends since they were children and they couldn’t believe he could be so desperate that he would try to kill Sidney and Charlotte over money, especially since all he had to do was ask and they all would have helped him out.  Mary spoke up and suggested they all retire to the dining room for a meal.<br/> <br/>        Over the next week none of them could find any trace of Edward and they all started to believe the worst.  Sidney and Charlotte decided that maybe they should contact the authorities to look into the accident.  They had recuperated enough to go back out to the main expedition boat and check things on that end, Babington and Crowe would go with them. Crowe had his man trying to locate Edward in the meantime.  It would take a few days to hire a boat to take them out to the spot.  <br/> <br/>        Two days later they were on the water and in the distance they could see the expedition vessel sitting where it should be.  They were all relieved. Sidney had half expected the boat not to be there.  On board, everything looked as they’d left it, except all of the expedition maps and logs were missing as well as all of the items that had already been found.  That concerned Babington and Crowe.  When Edward had left with them after Sidney and Charlotte had been found, everything was left in the state room they’d been using for planning purposes.  <br/> <br/>        Sidney was glad that they’d only been copies of the logs and maps.  The originals were at Bedford Place in the family safe, he hadn’t wanted to bring the originals just in case.  Seems he was right to take that precaution.  Charlotte was frowning and thinking, he could tell.  Finally she spoke up and suggested they all turn on the under water cameras monitoring the site to see what they could see.  Once they had the cameras online, the site looked like they’d left it.  A collective sigh of relief reverberated throughout the room.  Maybe this was all just a misunderstanding and Edward would have some reasonable explanation as to the missing documents and where he’d been when they heard from him.  <br/> <br/>        Crowe suggested that they would all need to dive down to the sight to look more closely and make sure it hadn’t been disturbed.  It was late in the day and they had no supplies, so it was decided that they would go home and make arrangements to get supplies and dive the following day if the weather was cooperative.  Sidney suggested that they put off talking to the authorities until after the dive so they could confirm the site was still intact.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 36</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Edward awoke in a dark room not able to tell what time of day it was. He was very thirsty but felt too tired to move.  He also had a bad headache.  He remembered drinking a lot the night before with his private investor, but he couldn’t remember much after that.  He didn’t remember leaving the bar or how he got home.  It was so dark he couldn’t get his bearings or tell what room he was in and feeling too poorly to work it out in his mind, he just fell back into unconscious oblivion.   <br/> <br/>      Once Sidney and his friends had secured the new supply boat and had it stocked they were off to meet up with the main vessel for their dive.  The weather forecast looked good over the next few days at least.  They had enough provisions for a week.  Esther decided to come along for the trip too.  She wasn’t a diver, but she could stay aboard with Janie and make sure things went to plan.  Sidney suggested he and Charlotte take the first dive and Babs and Crowe could stay aboard with Esther and Janie to monitor the equipment.  He didn’t want to take any chances leaving anyone on board by themselves and the cameras needed monitoring so they could record what they found.  <br/> <br/>      Suited up and ready. Charlotte nodded to Sidney and dropped back into the water.  Sidney followed shortly after.  They swam together at a marginal pace, neither wanting to over tax their newly healed bodies.  This would be a short dive, just to see if the site was still as they’d left it before the accident.  They still desperately wanted to believe it was an accident.  No one wanted to believe that Edward would be willing to betray them but his disappearance was the only clue they had to go on. It wasn’t looking good as far as Edward was concerned. Once they were at the part of the ship that held the captain’s quarters, they turned on their head cams.  Babington confirmed in their ear pieces that he had video confirmation.  </p>
<p>      Sidney was anxious and it was causing him to suck in oxygen too quickly, he needed to calm himself down so his air didn’t run out.  Charlotte made hand signals indicating they should enter the cabin first to see if the four chests were still intact.  Sidney followed her lead.  They turned on their head lamps to light up the area a bit for the cameras.  They swam inside the cabin and looked around to get their bearings.  This was their first time inside and it was more cramped then it had looked when Edward and the Master diver were on camera during the find.   They passed around where the doors to the closet had been laid and shined their lights into the closet.  To their profound relief, all four chests were there and looked to be unhampered with, thank goodness.  It was really hard for Sidney thinking Edward could be capable of such a betrayal.  It was nice to have proof to the contrary.  It still left the big question of what had happened to him and where he was.  Sidney was now concerned that something nefarious had happened to him.  It was time to get the authorities involved.    <br/> <br/>      Sidney made a hand signal to Charlotte to follow him.  He wanted to do a round about of the wreck sight before they surfaced to make sure everything else looked undisturbed.  They did a quick swim of the perimeter of the dig sight and nothing seemed amiss.  Charlotte signaled to head to the surface and she and Sidney swam back to the expedition vessel. After they’d removed their gear and debriefed the rest of the team, they headed to their cabin to shower.  They would all get together for lunch to discuss what the next steps should be.  <br/> <br/>      Charlotte couldn’t wait to get to their cabin.  She just needed her husband’s arms around her.  As soon as the cabin door was closed she grabbed him in a huge hug.  She just needed to feel him against her.  The morning had been fraught with tension and she needed to hold him.  Sidney held tightly to her.  He needed the physical contact too, it grounded him.  They hopped in the small shower together not wanting to let go of each other.  It was clumsy and cramped but they managed to get clean.  They toweled each other off and got into bed.  <br/> <br/>      Sidney kissed her so tenderly.  She responded in kind.  She loved hungry Sidney, when it was all hot kisses and touches, but she was just as in love with his tender loving side and that is just what she craved from him now.  He seemed to understand that with out any words.  She appreciated that about her new husband.  He was a very intuitive lover.  They just kissed quietly for a while, neither in any hurry.  Sidney slowly made his way down her body.  Light touches and kisses on every beautiful inch of her.  He laid his head on her stomach and just held her. “I love you so much Charlotte.  I was so scared when I woke up in the hospital and no one wanted to answer my questions about you.  I feared the worst and didn’t think I would live through that.”  </p>
<p>      “Oh, my lovely man, I love you so much too and I am not about to leave you any time soon.  Not if I have anything to say about it.  I want us to grow old and grey together”.  </p>
<p>      “I want that too”.  Sidney picked his head up and looked at her with and expression so full of love and desire.  Quickly his expression changed and his eyes darkened and he got a mischievous look.  He started kissing her stomach tenderly and then her hip, massaging her bottom with his big hands.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He moved across to her other hip and started down her leg with wet kisses.  He gently spread her legs wide to accommodate his shoulders kissing and caressing her inner thighs.  <br/> <br/>      Charlotte was getting impatient to have his mouth on her and lifted her hips slightly to move him in the right direction.  Sidney was having none of that and held her down so she couldn’t squirm.  He was taking his time to love and savor her.  He loved occasionally having this kind of control over her with the power to give her intense pleasure.  He never wanted to hold her down against her will.  He looked up into her eyes for confirmation that she wanted this.  The pleasure he saw on her face gave him his answer and he went back to business, the business of loving his wife.  She was so beautiful it was still overwhelming to him.  </p>
<p>      She trusted him completely and that was such a turn on.  He was so hard for her right now but he wasn’t going to rush.  He lifted her knee so he could place kisses there and made his way up her inner leg deliberately slowly.  He was still holding her other leg down with his hand but she was trying to wiggle her hips.  “Are you feeling needy my love”?  Humming was her only response.  Her breathing got heavier and more erratic, her chest rising and falling with each breath.  He looked up at her to see her pleasure.  “Open your eyes and look at me Luv”, he said in that deep sexy voice she loved.  She complied, how could she not?  As she met his gaze he let go of her leg and plunged his thumb inside her quickly.  She was so wet for him it slid right in with no tension.  Free to move a bit now she thrust her hips toward his hand.  “You are a little greedy, huh?  Why are you in such a rush? Did you miss me that much these last few weeks?” </p>
<p>      She snorted at him and said. “Yes…Yes….Please Sidney”. </p>
<p>      “Please What? My Love.  Tell me what you want.” </p>
<p>      “Make me cum…Hard”! Sidney put his open mouth over her most sensitive part and sucked lightly while pumping his thumb in and out of her slowly.  He had big hands and big long thumbs.  Charlotte was making pleasurable noises and moving her hips up and down slightly to get him right where she wanted him.  It wasn’t long before her orgasm built up and tumbled her over the edge.  She quietly called out, “Oh, Sidney”.  </p>
<p>      He pulled his thumb out of her and put it in his mouth, “hmmmm” Then he took the tip of his tongue and licked her softly on either side of her sweet spot until she came down.  She was breathing heavily and he laid his head back on her stomach until she was ready.  After a few long minutes he rolled them over so she was on top.  “Straddle me Luv.  Take me in.  I want to be deep inside you now”. She took him in and he held her hands to stabilize her as she gently rocked her hips.  He just watched her mesmerized as she arched her back, eyes closed and pleasured him.  </p>
<p>      Sidney didn’t know how much longer he could hold out. “Come for me again Charlotte.  Open your eyes and let me see you”. He sat up as he said it and changed the angle sparking her orgasm.  As soon as he felt her walls close down on him he came hard and loudly called her name.  They sat there for a while catching their breath, not wanting to let go just yet.  When they’d both calmed, he rolled them over so she was on her back. “Ready”? He always made sure she was ready so they could prevent a wet spot on the sheets. He got up and washed himself in the bathroom, bringing back a warm wet cloth to clean her up.  He liked caring for her and she liked that he was such a considerate lover.  Placing the cloth on the bedside table he climbed back into bed and pulled her into him.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They woke a few hours later hungry and ready for their lunch meeting.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Chapter 37</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope everyone is having a good week. In another month my family and I will have been strictly sheltering in for a year. Some of it has been good. My children get along better then they ever did before. The first few months were really hard with everyone going stir crazy in a smaller world then we are used to. We've got that part down now. At this point I have learned that I can live with out a lot of things. What I miss most is being able to see my loved ones and talk to them face to face and restaurants. ..I miss resturants. The Sisterhood has kept me and many of us sane in these trying times. You make me laugh a lot. Occasionally you make me angry or leave me with tears. So here's to you my sisters and brothers. Thank you all for keeping me company.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 37</strong>
</p>
<p><br/>      Edward woke again and he could tell it was day time.  He could see light edging in around the curtain and saw a faint outline of the room.  His body ached and he was so thirsty.  It was strange, he couldn’t remember when he last ate, he didn’t feel hungry, but he would kill for some water. <br/> <br/>      When Sidney and Charlotte made their way to lunch, they were walking hand in hand and smiling at each other.  Crowe, ever the instigator insinuated a below deck party and was jabbed in the ribs by Janie. Babington told him to have a little class. They were still newlyweds after all.  Lunch was Panini’s with spinach, feta and tomato and was served with a wonderful cold gazpacho. The onboard chef had outdone herself.  It was nice of Babington to hire a staff so they could concentrate on their plans instead of day to day concerns.  They discussed what Sidney and Charlotte found in the wreck and started to question if their assessment of Edwards position in all this could be wrong.  What if he was just the catalyst for the accident and wasn’t the one who actually caused the accident.  Crowe’s man was still digging into Edwards’s finances to see if anything was fishy.  It would be another day or two before they had anything definitive.  <br/> <br/>      Babington suggested it was time to contact the authorities.  They might have a way to track Edward, maybe through his phone or car GPS.  Everyone was in agreement.  Babington contacted his friend in the police department and he would meet them at Trafalgar House tomorrow morning.  All of them were excited to get back to the chests in the water, but finding Edward seemed top priority at the moment so the treasure would have to take a back burner for now.  Babington included several trusted men for security to stay on board to make sure the site stayed safe until they could get back to it.  <br/> <br/>      The meeting the next morning with Babington’s police friend went as expected.  He was skeptical about the boating accident being intentional but he would look into it and the whereabouts of Edward.  He was a grown man and no one had reported him missing so likely he was just off some where on his own.  He would put out an APB on his car and get a warrant for his phone and credit card records.  He would contact them when he had some information.  Crowe’s man was on it also, in case he could get the information faster.  It seemed that Edwards’s financial records looked pretty normal. No strange transactions, but he owed a lot of money for his last expedition to the bank and they were getting itchy to be repaid.  He had put them off by suggesting this latest expedition could be a large one.  They had given him a month’s extension to come up with some payment, so nothing unusual there either.  <br/> <br/>      Babington’s friend met with them the next day. The APB came back on Edward’s car.  It had been abandoned in front of a small pub in London and was in impound.  The police were officially listing Edward as a missing person since none of his family members had heard from him.  They had gotten a warrant for credit cards and cell phone records, but they both just dead ended at the pub.  The phone’s battery had either died or had been turned off and the last call was made in front of the pub.  The last credit card transaction was there also for a beer and some fish and chips.  </p>
<p>      It all looked concerning and they would be opening an investigation. They would also be looking more closely at the boat accident to see if they could find anything suspicious that was maybe connected to Edwards’s disappearance.   Definitive proof would require finding the boat at the bottom of the sea and the police didn’t have the resources for that.  Sidney and Babington said they would be happy to consult. Since they were putting the treasure hunt on hold for the time being, the friends could spend their time looking for the downed supply boat. The detective agreed, but only that they located the boat, they couldn’t disturb it in any way or it would taint the chain of custody of any evidence found.  Once they located to boat, the local police would bring in a dive team and Sidney and Babington agreed to pay the cost of the dive.  They really wanted answers, the money was secondary.  <br/> <br/>      The group of friends was shocked by the information that there was no trace of Edward after the pub.  It was looking less and less like Edward was guilty of anything and they’d all felt bad for making assumptions.  Sidney decided they needed some time to think about what to do and mull over the information the officer brought them. They would meet the next day to decide next steps, right now Sidney just wanted to be alone with his wife.  They all retired for the evening.  Babington’s men would stay on board the expedition vessel to guard the site while they figured everything out and that took some of the pressure off. <br/> <br/>      Back home for the night, Charlotte suggested delivery pizza and a movie.  Sidney thought that sounded wonderful and said he was all in.  While they were waiting for the pizza they talked about what movie they wanted to watch and agreed to leave Edward and treasure hunting out of their world for tonight so they could just relax a little.  It had been a difficult few weeks and it felt nice to do something normal.  The pizza got there and they decided a comedy was in order, so they picked “Wedding Crashers” to watch.  It was light and funny and just what they needed to take their mind off of their lives for the evening.  <br/> <br/>      By the end of the movie Charlotte was asleep in his arms.  He turned off the TV and picked her up to take her to bed.  She only stirred when he started to undress her.  She smiled at him sleepily and apologized for falling asleep on him.  He kissed her on the forehead and told her not to worry, she was sleepy.  He walked around to his side of the bed and she watched him undress appreciating what a beautiful body he had.  He caught her looking at him and smirked.  Crawling into bed beside her he snuggled up to her side putting his head over her shoulder and his nose into her hair. He loved the way she smelled.  She always smelled good, like home.  She sighed and ran her fingers through his hair, it was soft.  He needed a cut; it was getting long and curly at the ends.  Maybe she’d cut his hair tomorrow if he’d let her.  <br/> <br/>      Sidney kissed her lightly on the neck, “Tired Luv”?  </p>
<p>      “Yeah, it’s been a long few weeks, I just feel exhausted”.  He understood. He felt the same way.  They were newlyweds though and except for their time in the water, the hospital, and their week of recovery, they made love every night before sleeping.  He didn’t want her to be disappointed, so he asked, “Sleep or Sex Luv…it’s up to you…I’m good either way”?  </p>
<p>      She rolled towards him with a small smile on her face, “I’m not too tired to love you yet, Sidney”. He smiled back and pulled her close. They loved each other slowly and then fell asleep exhausted but satiated.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Chapter 38</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you lovely readers for continuing along with me.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 38</strong>
</p><p><br/>      The next morning Charlotte asked Sidney to get the journals out of the safe for her.  There was something niggling at her mind and she wanted to see if she could figure it out.  She had the feeling she’d missed something and wanted to check her Portuguese translation again and compare it to the first translation one more time.  Sidney was curious, but knew she would tell him if she found anything.  They drove to London to get them and made it back just in time for the group meeting at Trafalgar House with their friends.  Babington hadn’t heard anything further about Edward, and Crowe’s man hadn’t found anything new either.  He was tracking down employees at the pub to ask questions, but so far no one remembered Edward.  <br/> <br/>      They were doing everything they could to find Edward, but it seemed he had just disappeared.  Maybe the best thing to do was let the authorities and Crow’s investigator do their jobs and get back to locating the downed supply boat to see what they could uncover there.  It was decided by the group to give it till the end of the week and if they hadn’t heard anything on Edward’s whereabouts yet, then they would resume the search on Monday.  They would meet up again on Friday and firm up plans.  <br/> <br/>      This suited Charlotte just fine.  She could use a few more days rest and she really wanted to get into the journals again.  Sidney asked if they could take the children to the beach for a while before they went home, he missed their jubilance.  She agreed and Mary talked them into staying for a quiet family dinner afterwards.  Charlotte didn’t realize how much she’d missed playing with the children.  Her husband was brilliant; it was just what she needed to really relax.  They flew kites, built sand castles and played tag. They came home flushed from the sun and sandy.  They took a shower in the guest room and were happy they had left some clothes here the last time they stayed.  <br/> <br/>      Dinner was lovely.  Mary was a wonderful cook.  They had tomato bisque and home made bread, green salad with homemade vinaigrette and apple crumble with vanilla ice cream for dessert.  Diana and Arthur joined them and it was an evening of good food and better company.  Driving home Charlotte thanked Sidney for knowing what she needed when she didn’t even know herself.  He smiled his half smile at her and told her it was his pleasure to make her happy.  In that moment she couldn’t have loved him more.  She felt totally safe and cherished.  Sidney felt the exact same way.  They made love again that night, it wasn’t tender this time.  It was fiery and full of passionate heat. He pinned her to the inside of the door as soon as it was closed and they couldn’t get their clothes off fast enough.  They didn’t make it to the bedroom they only got as far as the sofa in the living room.  After the fire was consumed they lay on the sofa breathing hard and both started to laugh.  When they had recovered their senses, they got up and collected their clothes and walked to bed where they made love again this time a little slower and fell asleep exhausted from their exertions.   <br/> </p><p>      Sidney awoke to his wife licking his erection. He gave her a sleepy grin, “I could die right now a happy man” She hmmmm’d in response which just made him harder.  She hadn’t done this much before, but she was a quick study and quickly figured out what he liked. A few minutes later and he couldn’t hold it any longer.  He pulled her up on top of him and entered her wetness in one swift motion.  It was fast and hard and soon they were both calling out each others names.  She collapsed on his chest sweaty and spent. “I am not complaining in the least, but what brought that on.  I need to know so I can repeat it frequently”.  She laughed out loud.  </p><p>      “I woke with my hand on you and I was so turned on I couldn’t help myself”.  </p><p>      He growled, “I am more then happy to oblige you any time you can’t help yourself Luv”.<br/> <br/>      They showered but it wasn’t fast because they made love again, washed off and then had a quick breakfast.  With her second cup of coffee in hand Charlotte was deep into the journals already.  Sidney took the opportunity to answer some email and then settled in with on of old Tom’s journals.  He’d read them all and had notes, but he wanted to read them again and wouldn’t get much time once they started the exhibition again.  Charlotte started shifting around and going back and fourth between the original journal and both translations. She fidgeted so much it caught Sidney’s attention. “Find what you were looking for Luv”? </p><p>       “Hmm, Maybe.  I need to make a call”.  She dialed James, he answered on the third ring. Charlotte talked fast and told him she found some discrepancy in the original text of the ships log and the translations and she wanted his input to make sure she had it right.  She was sending him pictures and he would call her back when he’d looked it over.  <br/> <br/>       James called back ten minutes later and Charlotte left the room so she didn’t bother Sidney’s reading.  When she came back she was bubbling with excitement. “Sidney, look at what I found.  In the original journal, see these markings.  I’d ignored them at first thinking they were just some scribbling in the margins as did the original translator, but look here and here.  Do you see it?” “Sidney tried to look at what she was showing him, but it made no sense to him.  Then he noticed a pattern in the scribbling. </p><p>      “Is that a pattern”? </p><p>      “Exactly…see this and this…it’s a code.  A basic cipher, it just needs the key code to crack it.  It is usually a set four or five numbers or letters.  We have some work to do.  Scan thru the journals and see if you can find anything like that.  I will finish with the original log and look over the maps as well.  <br/> <br/>       A couple of hours later Sidney came across a random five letter sequence in the margin of one of his mother’s journals.    He’d seen it before and thought it was nothing, but now he thought maybe it was what they needed.  He got up to show it to Charlotte.  She got really excited and sat down to decipher the code.  It was instructions on how to find a key embedded in one of the metal workings on a chest on board the ship.  The chest was secretly placed on board with only the captain’s knowledge.  It was a gift from the King of Portugal for his new wife.  It was a crown of gold and gems made here in England by the royal jeweler as a favor to the Portuguese King who admired work of the English crown.  </p><p>       Sidney was shocked.  He was having a hard time wrapping his head around what they’d found. It looked like his mother knew even though she never wrote about it anywhere and obviously his ancestors who searched never knew.  It was written in the ships log as a coded message that only an expert or some one that was privy to what was on board would understand.  His parents had obviously found it though since his mom had the code written in her journal.  Sidney kissed his brilliant wife. Charlotte asked Sidney if she could text James with what she’d found.  He said if she trusted him then he would too.  James was also very excited by the find and wished them luck in finding the treasure.  <br/> <br/>       Sidney called a meeting so they could tell the others.  They still had heard nothing from either the police or Crowe’s investigator about Edwards’s whereabouts.  Their group of friends were excited by Charlottes find and speculated if one of the chests they’d found would contain the crown. They couldn’t wait to find out and Babington made the suggestion that they start on Saturday searching for the supply boat rather then wait for Monday.  Everyone thought it prudent to start earlier given what they’d found, some of the things that had been happening now looked a little suspicious.  What if they weren’t the only ones who had information on what that ship was carrying?  That might explain Edwards’s disappearance and the attempt on Sidney and Charlotte’s lives.  The only question was how did anyone know what they were looking for?  No one had any answers for that conundrum.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Chapter 39</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A little mid week chapter for all of the Sisterhood. I know a lot of you as stuck indoors with winter snows.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 39</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>       Tom was in London on business.  He was nervous. His meeting with bank hadn’t gone as he’d planned.   He was starting to worry he wouldn’t be able to find the money he needed in time and he may have to tell his siblings what he’d done.  He hadn’t meant to loose the funds for the expansion of the private cottages at the resort.  His friend had assured him the investment was a sure thing.  It turned out to be a disaster and now he couldn’t even get a loan in his own name without using the resort as collateral and he couldn’t do that without the signatures of his siblings.  He wasn’t’ sure what he was going to do.  Deciding there wasn’t anything else to be done today Tom decided to head to the club for some dinner.  He called Mary and the little’s on his way telling them that he loved and missed them and would be home in a few days.  <br/> <br/>      The club was crowded tonight and he hadn’t made a reservation so he headed to the bar.  He could get a meal at the bar and have a drink or two before he went home to the empty house at Bedford Place.  That thought depressed him.  He missed his family.  He hated being away from them, but this was a necessary trip after all.  Tom ordered a whiskey with his meal. He thought it might calm his nerves a bit. He usually wasn’t a big drinker, but this was such a mess and he felt so guilty for using company funds behind his siblings back.  It bothered him a lot and he thought about just coming clean.  Feeling like an idiot he decided against it.  His pride wouldn’t let him admit his mistake, even to those he loved.  They would be so disappointed in him.  He was the big brother.  It was job to look after the family after his parents had passed.  What a failure he was.     He ordered a second drink, which may have been a mistake as he was already feeling the effects of the first.  <br/> <br/>      Halfway through his second whiskey, a man sat down at the bar a few seats away from him.  Tom thought he looked very familiar, but couldn’t place where they’d met. When the man saw him staring, he spoke up.  “Tom Parker that is you isn’t it?  It has been a long time since I’ve seen you Son.  How are you and your family?”  Tom was a little bewildered by the statements.  This man obviously knew him.  <br/> <br/>      “Yes, I am Tom Parker.  I’m sorry, you look very familiar, but I just can’t place you.  How do we know each other?”</p>
<p><br/>      “Your parent’s funeral was the last time we saw each other.  I have aged quite a bit.  It is no wonder you don’t recognize me.”  The man smiled and extended his hand to shake.  </p>
<p>      “Gerald Delaney, I was a mate of your fathers since Uni.  We kept in touch over the Years.  I occasionally came on vacation with my wife and kids at the resort when you were a kid.” </p>
<p>       Tom shook the man’s hand smiling back, “Uncle Gerry?”<br/> <br/>      “That’s right kid, you do remember.”  They fell into companionable conversation about their families and all the happenings since the funeral.  Gerry apologized for not keeping in touch over the years. His work had taken him out of the country and well life just got busy.  Tom understood, the same could be said of his own life.  Each man had several more rounds.  As Tom got inebriated he found himself telling Gerry of all of his current troubles.  Gerry felt bad for Tom and somewhat guilty he hadn’t kept in touch with the Parker’s after their parents had died.  He told Tom he had quite the nest egg saved up and he would be interested in looking at the proposed expansion for the resort.  If everything looked good, he would like to be a silent investor.  He really wanted to help Tom out of his predicament.  A bad investment could happen to anyone and he felt he owed it to their father to help out if he could.  <br/> <br/>       Tom felt immediate relief and drunkenly hugged the man.  It was amazing that Uncle Gerry had showed up just in his moment of need.  He was also excited that he could go home to his wife and children earlier then expected and he would be bringing Uncle Gerry to meet them.  Gerald was happy to see Tom in better spirits and looking forward to his trip to Sanditon.  It had been too long and he looked forward to getting reacquainted with the Parkers and spending some time in the resort. The two men arranged for Tom to pick him up at his hotel at ten the next morning and Tom would drive them to Sanditon.  Tom texted Mary, he would be home the following afternoon and that he was bringing a guest and then promptly fell asleep with a smile on his face. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Chapter 40</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>That Tom, huh? What can you do? Enough of him, back to hunting Treasure.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 40</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>      Friday came and the police and Crowe’s investigator had no leads on Edwards’s whereabouts.  It is like he dropped off the face of the earth.  They found CCTV footage of Edward walking into the pub, but none of him coming out.  The back alley of the pub had no cameras, so it was assumed that he had exited out the back of the building.  The bartender on duty at the time remembered Edward had gotten drunk and had to be helped to the bathroom by his friend, but then he’d gotten busy and didn’t know what happened to him after that.  The staff at the pub couldn’t really remember what the friend looked like, just a generic description and the CCTV footage was unhelpful as the guy was wearing a cap low on his head when he entered the pub.  The bartender did remark it was funny that Edward was so drunk as he’d only had one beer before the friend got there and had ordered a second when he arrived…some people were lightweights.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Edwards’s friends sat around talking over what they’d been told.  It didn’t sound good and they were no closer to finding their friend.  His family was really worried about him and it was affecting his aunt’s health.  The Denham’s were old family friends and Sidney was beside him self with worry and didn’t know what to do.  They all decided that the best thing to do was to continue with the search and maybe that would shed some light on what had happened to Edward.  Tomorrow they would start out early and head back to the expedition vessel and start the work of searching for the supply boat.  The plan was to comb sea bed for the distance from the large vessel in the direction Sidney and Charlotte had taken the day they disappeared to the point of the pier they were headed to and branch out in ever widening circle, using the sonar they used to find the wreck.  Hopefully they would get lucky.  If they found anything they would put the under water cam in and see if they could get visual confirmation.  Babington made some calls and called the expedition crew back to work promising a bonus if they could all make it in the morning.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney and Charlotte spent the evening making love and discussing their ideas for when the actual expedition could get back on track.  What was the best way to bring up the chests and how to keep the contents hidden from as much of the crew as possible until they had a chance to inventory what they found?  They would have to rely on the men in Edwards’s crew for the best way to retrieve the chests intact, they had the expertise and he and Charlotte were just armatures in this area. They had a basic understanding but didn’t feel confident they could do it on their own.  He and Charlotte went to bed early; tomorrow would be a long day.<br/>
 <br/>
      The morning dawned sunny and warm.  It was the perfect day for the search.  The sea was calm and the weather was expected to stay steady all day.  The friends got started early they had a lot of ground to cover so to speak.  Their first run from the vessel to the pier didn’t yield anything promising.  They moved out from their original course in wider and wider circles.  It was getting late in the day and everyone was frustrated and hungry.  They decided to call it a day.  Back on land, Sidney got a call from Tom.  He was back from his business in London and wanted Sidney and Charlotte to come for dinner tonight.  Sidney explained that they already had had a long day and were planning quick dinner with Babington and Crowe and an early night.  Tom said to bring them, he had gotten reacquainted with one of their father’s old friends while in London and he wanted Sidney to meet him.  Sidney asked who it was but didn’t recognize the name.  He decided it was easier to give in to Tom’s wishes then to argue, so he agreed they would be there at six.  The friends were amiable to the change in plans. Mary was a great cook and they all looked forward to a home cooked meal after the long and frustrating day.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney and Charlotte got to Trafalgar House a little late.  They had lost track of time when they got home, taking a quick nap, a little longer time having some heated sex and then a hot shower.  By the time they got to the house, the Babington’s, Crowe, and Janie were already there. Tom introduced their guest but Sidney didn’t remember the man.  Uncle Gerry said he wasn’t surprised.  Other then the funeral, he probably hadn’t seen Sidney since he was a young teenager.  Mary’s dinner was lovely. Charlotte, Janie and Esther helped her clean up while the men folk retired to the living room for after dinner drinks.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Mary asked Charlotte how she and Sidney were doing.  Charlotte told her they were trying to keep busy and having a project to work on while they waited for news on Edward was a help.  She didn’t know what to think about their accident.  She had a bad feeling they would find out the supply boat was sabotaged, but was trying to hold out hope that it wasn’t true and there would be some logical explanation to how they’d ended up in the water that day.  Charlotte said in a weird way it had made them closer together.  They both had a hard time being out of each others sight for very long.  It would make them nervous.  Mary said she didn’t think that was unusual.  They had been through a traumatic incident and had almost lost each other.  It was natural to feel a little unsettled being away from each other.  Charlotte was grateful for Mary’s words.  It helped her feel like they were on the right track to getting back to normal.  Of course nothing would get totally back to normal until they found Edward and knew that he was safe and unharmed.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Tom seemed like he’d gotten very close with Gerry in a short amount of time.  During after dinner drinks he brought up the hunt for the family treasure and the current expedition much to the surprise of the rest of the group.  Explaining Edwards’s suspicious disappearance, the possibility of what they might find in the four chests they’d located and the fact that the hunt had been put on hold while they located both Edward and the downed supply boat.   Sidney piped up and suggested that maybe now wasn’t the best time to discuss it since they had a guest that might not find all the details that interesting.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Gerry picked up on Sidney’s tension about the topic and quickly changed the subject by asking Tom about his summer regatta plans.  To Sidney’s relief his brothers attention was easily diverted to his favorite topic and the rest of the evening was spent talking about the regatta over the years and all Tom’s plans to make this year’s the best it had ever been.  Sidney just rolled his eyes and Crowe and Babington had to stifle their chuckles.  Tom could spend endless amounts of time waxing poetic about Sanditon, often boring his audience to death with the topic and save for Gerry, everyone in the living room had heard it all before many times.  Gerry seemed very interested in the topic though and gave Tom his undivided attention. <br/>
 <br/>
      Tom was pleased at bed time with the evening’s success.  Gerry had gotten reacquainted with the family and seemed to fit right in.   He wanted Gerry to fit in so he felt more comfortable about his silent investment.  Tom had reiterated the importance to keep the investment just between the two of them.  Gerry had assured him his silence.  He had no intention of calling Tom out to his family and he was just glad they’d met at the club when they did so he could be of help.  This is just what Tom need to hear to relax about keeping this secret from his siblings.  With any luck, there would never be any reason for them to find out about his mishap with the bad investment.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Chapter 41</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 41</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>      The friends all decided to pack for an extended stay on the main expedition vessel.  They really wanted to make a concerted effort at locating the missing supply boat and didn’t want to waste time and resources every day going back and forth from home to the main vessel.  It was decided to make a mini vacation out of it.  They would get up at a reasonable hour each week day and work, and spend the evening planning the next days search.  They would take a break on weekends and have some down time.  <br/> <br/>      As luck would have it they were able to locate the ship on the third day of their search.  It brought great relief to everyone and they were all excited to get some answers.  They called Babington’s detective friend on the Sat. phone and gave him the GPS coordinates of the find.  He promised to get a team up and running as fast as he could.  Fast turned out to be three days later with his apologies, bureaucracy at its finest.  <br/> <br/>      The salvage team was professional and was able to raise the boat in one day.  It was taken back to police impound for investigation.  It was another two days to find out that the boat had indeed been sabotaged.  They found that the bilge pump used to empty excess water out of the hull of the boat had been obviously tampered with by someone who knew what they were doing causing water to build up and slowly sink the boat.  There had also been a small device attached to the underside of the boat near the engine compartment with what looked like the parts for a small incendiary device. It had detonated and put a small hole in the hull causing the water to fill it quickly after that.  An underwater detonation of that size would not have been very noticeable over the vibrations of the engine under full power.  The detective went on to tell them that an official investigation was being opened and he would be lead on it. He wanted to see everyone at Trafalgar House tomorrow to do official interviews.  <br/> <br/>      Shock and dismay were all Sidney felt.  He had been hoping to find that the boat had some kind of manufacturing malfunction and that someone hadn’t purposely tried to kill him and his wife.  Then he remembered the dead radio.  Charlotte was very quiet after that while the rest of them discussed steps going forward.  Crow suggested they beef up security and maybe had a few men watching everyone’s residences. Babington agreed.  The police would have regular patrols, but they didn’t have the man power to sit officers outside everyone’s homes.  They all wished each other goodnight and retired to their cabins to pack and get a good nights rest.  <br/> <br/>      “Charlotte, you were awfully quiet at dinner after the news.  Anything you want to talk about?”  She just pulled him into a tight hug and told him that she was a little overwhelmed by the news of the boat sabotage. Everything was all of the sudden feeling very real and dangerous and she wasn’t sure it was worth risking their lives and that of their friends.  Sidney was surprised by her comments.  This wasn’t like Charlotte.  Usually when faced with anything difficult it only made her square her shoulders and lift her chin up in determination.  Sidney looked her in the eye with a look of concern on his face.  As much as he wanted to fulfill his parent’s legacy and find the treasure, he would give it all up in a heartbeat if she asked him to and he told her just that.  <br/> <br/>      Charlotte pulled him down for a deep meaningful kiss and the topic was abandoned as they fell into bed together.  They both need to feel each other’s naked skin, to make that simple yet poignant connection with each other.  To reaffirm that they were both safe and warm in the arms of the one they needed most in the world.  They spent the next several hours loving each other and sleeping lightly only to wake and love each other again.  Eventually they both fell asleep.  <br/> <br/>      When they woke, they showered quickly, dressed and with a light breakfast all of the friends were headed back to the main land and to their interviews with Detective Simms.  The Detective was a burly man about Babington’s height with a dark head of hair and a beard to match.  He also had dark inquisitive eyes that made you feel like he could see into your mind. He took turns with each of them separately in Tom’s study and then questioned them all together as a group.  He asked if any of them had any enemies, or knew of a reason to believe that someone had over heard their plans some how.  He spent extra time with both Sidney and Charlotte going over in detail of who they’d seen and where they’d been from the time the plans for the hunt had been registered with the maritime office.  <br/> <br/>      Interviews concluded, detective Simm’s took his leave and Mary offered everyone to stay for lunch.  They spent the afternoon speculating on who could want Charlotte and Sidney dead and Crowe spent some time on the phone finding reputable hired security at least until they had more information.  His friend Sam would be in Sanditon to meet with everyone and go over all the details, coordinate with the Babington’s security people and make a plan to have everyone covered by a security detail by end of day tomorrow.  </p><p>     Charlotte had been part of this friend group since she’d met Sidney and she had always felt like a welcomed part of the group, but she was still taken aback at the way they all pulled together to help one another.  It was truly like a family.  She felt like she had a whole new support system she could count on when the chips were down.  Somehow amidst all the chaos of the last few weeks, it really made her feel secure and loved.  The group went their separate ways to make arrangements and agreed to meet back there to meet the new security people in the morning.  Mary said she would have a nice breakfast spread ready and they should come early so they had time to enjoy it before the meeting.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Chapter 42</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A little Mid week pick me up.. . Have a little tirramisu and a good read.  This one is explicit so If you're not into that skip from the first set of hearts to the second.<br/>**Tirramisu  in Italian means "pick me up". I always loved that and it's one of my favorite desserts, especially if it's home made.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 42</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>      Sidney was feeling grumpy on the way home.  His wife noticed and reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze.  She didn’t ask him about it feeling that he needed a little time to sort his feelings out for himself.  He would eventually tell her what was on his mind, she was sure.  When they got home they decided on a bath.  It would help them both relax after a very trying day.  The bath was lovely, they used some lavender bubble bath of Charlotte’s and the aroma therapy helped calm both them.  They stayed sitting in the tub until the water was tepid and both had pruned fingers and toes.  They helped each other dry off and Sidney helped Charlotte dry her hair, combing his fingers through it as he did.  These little domestic normalcies’s also helped them to get a perspective on their feelings.  They both went to bed naked, knowing it was pointless to put their PJ’s on when they would just be coming right off again.  They often went to bed naked since they married.  Really the only time they actually wore PJ’s was when they stayed at Mary and Tom’s house.  You never knew when the little’s would come in and jump on the bed to wake you up.  They had almost had a big surprise that way one of the first times they had stayed overnight as a couple and didn’t want a repeat performance.  <br/> <br/>      Her husband let out a huge heavy breath as she cuddled up next to him.  They had needed this all day.  Just to be close to each other in this intimate way.  Charlotte asked him if he was ready to talk about what was troubling him.  He sighed again and told her that he was sorry to have brought her into all of this mess.  He felt it was his fault.  The treasure was the reason he had first sought her out after all.  If he hadn’t done that then she wouldn’t be in any danger now.  She lovingly pointed out to him that they wouldn’t have found each other either and they wouldn’t be married.  She held him and comforted him.  She knew he was struggling with how to protect her because she was feeling the same way about him.  Reminding him that she loved him with every fiber of her being she told him she wasn’t the least bit sorry he’d come to the university that day. Yes they had to face some danger now, but she wouldn’t give him up just to avoid a little danger.  <br/> <br/>      He kissed her tenderly and it quickly turned into something more.  Something primal that consumed them like a hot fire until they both reached their release and it calmed down into embers keeping them warm as they fell asleep entwined in each other.  They both woke with the sun knowing they had another trying day ahead.  </p><p>❤❤❤❤❤</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>      Sidney rolled over on top of her, his morning erection hard against her thigh.  He kissed her deeply and she lifted her chin to deepen the kiss.  He entered her slowly pumping in and out of her a few times.  He rested his forehead against hers breathing in her scent and looking her in the eyes.  He stayed still inside her mostly, pumping his hips every so often pulling his cock all the way out and pushing his way slowly back in again.  <br/> <br/>      Charlotte understood his deep need for this slow connection so she let him set the pace.  This was his way of using his body to tell her how much he loved her and it shouldn’t be rushed.  There were times for fast and hard and times for slow and easy.  This was a time for the latter.  So he loved her with patience slowly building the tension in his wife he knew when she was close because she started to meet his slow thrusts with some of her own.  He put his hands under her bum to lift her a bit and change the angle still at his slow and easy pace, drawing out her pleasure.  When she came undone he kept pumping his hips at the same leisurely pace building another stronger orgasm inside her.  It was divine.  He made her feel like slow moving liquid magma seeping out of the earth.  It was hot, but not like the temperature of frenzied love making from the night before.  This was a slow steady burn the same temperature the whole way through.  He watched her the whole time reading the pleasure in her small sounds and facial expressions.  When she was close he rolled them over so she was on top and sat them up so she was straddling him.  He held her tight and let her set the pace.  She kept the movements slow and gentle just rocking her hips slightly into his.  <br/> <br/>      He was so deep this way, she felt so full with him inside her like this.  It didn’t take long for her orgasm to explode inside her body and Sidney let him self go just behind her. They sat holding each other like that for a long time not wanting to break the intimacy of the moment.  Finally Sidney scooted them to the edge of the bed and lifted her up and walked them into the bathroom.  He was still semi hard inside her.  His intention was to wash them both at the sink, but as he set her down on the vanity she wrapped her legs around him and wouldn’t let him go.  She wiggled her hips invitingly which caused him to harden inside her.  Soon he was pumping himself in and out of her again at a much faster pace then before.  Charlotte leaned back on the vanity trying to find some purchase so she could meet him thrust for thrust.  It was exciting for Sidney to watch himself in the mirror pumping in and out of his wife, fucking her hard and watching as she leaned her head back in ecstasy.  It just made him harder.  He slowed his pace and pulled out of her, much to her dismay.  He lifted her off the counter and put her down, turning her to face the mirror so she could watch too.  <br/> <br/>      Charlotte forgave her husbands withdraw when she saw what he intended.  She watched as he entered her from behind.  There was also a reflection in the window to their left.  It was before sunrise and the dark window was like another mirror.  Sidney pivoted his head back and fourth between the two seeing him pumping his hips into his wife from behind at two different angles.  Why had he never noticed this phenomenon of the double view before?  They’d had sex in this bathroom many times at all hours of the day.  He felt like he had been missing out.  He leaned down and whispered in her ear to look to their left.  She moaned when she did.  It was so hot to see Sidney’s strong body pumping into her this way.  She could see every defined muscle move and it made her very hot.  She held the counter so she did not bang her head into the mirror in front of them as he crashed his body into hers over and over.  </p><p>      He held her with his hand by one hip and reached his other around so he could pleasure her with his fingers as well.  One touch one circular motion of his index finger was all it took before Charlotte was screaming out her orgasm.  Sidney slowed his pace so she could catch her breath and when she was ready demanded she open her eyes and look at him he mirror.  He had watched every second of her pleasure and he wanted her to do the same.  She met his eyes in the mirror as he picked up the pace again.  Three strokes were all it took and her husband was calling out her name with his release.  They cleaned themselves up and got some water from the tap.</p><p>❤❤❤❤❤</p><p> They walked back to the bedroom and got under the covers.  The last thing Charlotte remembered was Sidney commenting about how sensual it was to watch in the mirrors as he loved her and that they would have to do it again often.  He mumbled something about putting a mirror on the ceiling in the bedroom.  Then she was out. </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0043"><h2>43. Chapter 43</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>Chapter 43</strong><br/>
 </p>
<p><br/>
      The lovers were still satiated from their antics the night before and Charlotte was just a little sore from all of her husband’s attention, so they showered, dressed and had a quick cup of coffee before they headed out to breakfast at Trafalgar House.  They were earlier then their friends and enjoyed some time with the little’s in the kitchen while they had their breakfast before school.  Tom came in and said hello.  He told them that Gerry was coming over this morning to sit in on the security meeting.  He had some experience with heavy security having worked out of the country as a diplomat and Tom thought his insights might help.  Sidney expressed his displeasure at having a total stranger privy to private family business.  Tom blustered and said he felt that Gerry was like family.  He was sorry that Sidney didn’t remember him, but he had been important to their father and he just wanted to help.  Besides, The Babington’s and Crowe would be here too and they weren’t family.  Sidney didn’t like it one bit and started to complain again, but his wife just gently put her hand on his arm and that made him think twice about making this a fight.  Tom just wasn’t always on the same page.  Sidney felt like he should have asked first before he just invited Gerry.  This wasn’t Tom’s expedition, but he felt like it was and he had no trouble interfering.  <br/>
 <br/>
     Janie, Crowe, and the Babington’s showed followed shortly by Gerry.  They all had a nice breakfast, of home made crepes, fresh strawberries and whipped cream, fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and coffee.  By the time the leisurely meal was finished Sidney felt a little better about Gerry’s presence.  He really did seem to have some good insight about security and how to live with that interference in your life and not to go insane.  Sidney found he liked Gerry upon getting to know him better and he let himself relax.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Charlotte could feel her husband’s tension at the beginning of the meal, but she didn’t really understand why he had such strong feelings about Gerry.  She felt him relax by the end of the meal, but would try to ask him about it when they were alone again.  Crowe’s friend Sam finally arrived Mary got him a cup of coffee and they got down to business.  Sam was very professional.  He asked all kinds of questions about their homes and their schedules talking through safety precautions like varying their normal routines so they didn’t do the same activities at the same time every day.  </p>
<p>      Telling them that each household would have two sets of guards around the clock, who would be stationed outside the homes and would do regular surveillance around the property. Each set of guards would work 6 hour shifts and would switch of with the second set.  They were to always have their cell phones within arms reach, even in the bathroom.  Most importantly none of them was to go anywhere alone for any reason and when they came back home after an outing, the security team would sweep the house before they entered.  <br/>
 <br/>
      They all balked a bit, except the Babington’s.  They were already used to this level of security since Babington was a lord and his father was a prominent figure in parliament.  Sam assured them that this was all normal security protocol and that it was necessary to insure everyone stayed safe.  Gerry also confirmed Sam’s points and said it was all normal procedure. They were all pretty quiet when Sam left, each mulling over their own thoughts.  The Babington’s, Crowe, and Janie said their goodbyes.  Mary suggested they all go together for a walk on the beach.  They all agreed it was a good idea since the security detail would be there in a few hours.  One last hurrah before they were all to report their every move to a couple of total strangers paid to keep them safe.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney took the precaution as they were leaving to text Sam with their plans so the security detail would know where they were.  Sam texted back his confirmation of the text with thanks for taking the whole thing seriously as it would make his job that much easier.  The beach was lovely and the adults enjoyed the sun and the slight breeze.  It helped them all to relax after the tense morning meeting.    Tom suggested lunch at the seaside café at the resort.  It was an out door café between the beach and the pool.  They could get burgers or fish and chips and some adult beverages.  All agreed it was a lovely idea and Sidney shot another text to Sam.  By the time they made it back to the house it was time to pick up the children for school and the Security details had arrived.  They went over all the procedures in easy to under stand ways.  They needed the children to understand what they were doing without scaring them.  The adults appreciated the understanding and professionalism the security teams hand been trained with.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Once all the schedules had been hashed out and all questions answered, Sidney and Charlotte said their good byes and went home with their security detail in tow.  They had a quiet night and were only interrupted by the change of the detail and introductions to their second team.  They ate a light meal and went to bed early to watch a movie in bed.  They chatted a little about the last few days and Charlotte remembered that she wanted to ask him about his reaction earlier to Gerry.  Sidney explained that he was mostly irritated with Tom’s assumption that inviting Gerry was an OK thing to do without asking anyone.  Sidney was a private person and he didn’t like outsiders knowing all their family business, especially where the treasure hunt was concerned.  At this point they still had no idea where Edward was or if he was involved, or where the danger was coming from.  He gotten kind of a weird vibe from Gerry the first time they’d met, but that by the end of the meeting he dismissed it as his normal mistrust of any stranger.  Gerry seemed genuinely interested in their safety and helping out his old friend’s children and Tom obviously liked him and trusted his opinion, so Sidney was over it.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Charlotte said she understood all of his reasoning and that she was glad he felt better about it.  She knew Tom sometimes got him self involved when he shouldn’t but she didn’t want to see them at odds, not when they need to pull together right now to keep everyone safe.  Sidney smiled at her then and then his look quickly got serious.  “I love you Charlotte, so much and I would never survive if any thing happened to you and I was the cause.  Should we just drop this whole treasure hunting idea and go on with our lives?”<br/>
 <br/>
      She frowned at him slightly.  Since when did Sidney Parker back down from a fight?  He must be feeling really insecure with the situation and worrying about keeping her safe.  She put her arms around him and kissed his shoulder.  She pulled back and lightly caressed his chest and ran her fingers through the hair she found there.  He slid his arms around her and sighed. He loved that she wanted to comfort him.  He’d never felt so connected to another human being and he didn’t even want to contemplate what it would be like if something happened to her, let alone the fact that he could loose her all together.  He put it out of his mind and kissed her.  He needed the connection.  They loved each other and without any more words between them fell asleep.<br/>
 <br/>
      Edward woke up in the dark again.  He was very thirsty and grabbed the water bottle on the night stand and drank it all down.  His head still hurt.  He was trying to think about what had happened the last few days, but it just made him tired and he slipped back into oblivion.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The next morning Sidney and Charlotte woke early, wondering into the kitchen in their robes to make breakfast.  They didn’t often use their robes, but it was chilly this morning and prohibited making naked breakfast.  As they worked they talked about what they wanted to do next.  Neither wanted to permanently close the expedition so, they texted their friends for a lunch meeting to talk it over.  After cleaning up the kitchen together they decided that since it was still so early, they’d go back to bed.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0044"><h2>44. Chapter 44</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the late posts today my Sisters. Mom and I have a little booth at a local antique shop and I'm the manual labor, so I was helping to move furniture and carry boxes. My teenage daughter has also started a nonprofit to help raise money for cancer research. She is hand painting themed terracotta pots for snail plants, along with the potting soil and seeds. She's made her own logo and signage. We gave her a shelf at the booth to market them and I helped her set up Instagram and FB. So we were doing all that this morning.</p><p>❤❤❤❤This chapter is mostly Salaciousness, so skI p from one set of hearts to the next if that's not your thing.❤❤❤❤</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 44</strong>
</p><p><br/>      Sidney grabbed his wife’s hand and led her to their room.  He still couldn’t believe she was his wife! She was so beautiful with her messy hair. He took her in his arms and kissed her. He opened her robe and then slid his hands up her sides and over her shoulders pushing his hands under the fabric and sliding it down her arms.  It dropped to a puddle at their feet.  He let go of her then to take a couple of steps back.  He took her all in and told her just how beautiful she was to him.<br/> <br/>      The intense desire in his eyes still surprised her.  She could never have enough of that look.  It made her feel truly beautiful and cherished.  She reached for the tie on his robe and pulled it and then took a step towards him to help him out of it.  </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>❤❤❤❤</p><p> </p><p>      She ran her hands down his chest and hips and then around to hold his lovely bum, she squeezed him gently and smiled up at him.  “Come, let me love you”, she said in a seductive voice.  He followed her to the bed.  She reached up to put her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly on the lips. Humming his appreciation, he put his hands on her hips and pulled her in so that their bodies were skin to skin.  She could feel his intense desire for her flush against her belly.  She turned them so his back was to the bed and pushed him down on it.  <br/> <br/>      Putting a knee on either side of him she straddled his body.  The way she was looking at him was serious and kind of shy.  Like she had a question, but wasn’t sure she should ask it.  “What is it Luv”?  She didn’t answer right away and looked down at his chest.  Now Sidney was even more curious about what was moving around in her beautiful brain.  “You know you can tell me anything, ask me anything, right”?  She fidgeted and tried to get up, but he held her there gently.  “Look at me Charlotte”, he said in a low voice.  It was not quite a command, but almost.  She looked up at his face, still not saying anything and blushed.  She was not normally shy and he wondered what could possibly make her blush like that.  “Tell me”.<br/> <br/>      “Um…I was wondering…If…” She stopped there and her face got even redder if that was possible.  He just looked at her with a pointed questioning look. </p><p>      “Tell me”<br/> <br/>      She thought she was being silly.  She should just ask for what she wanted.  Surely, even if he wasn’t interested he wouldn’t make her feel foolish for asking.  He was always considerate, right? He was getting impatient for her answer and squeezed her hips a bit.  She finally squared her shoulders and looked him in the eyes and said, “I was just wondering if you would taste me like this”?  <br/> <br/>      Sidney didn’t want to give anything away about how enticing this offer was.  They hadn’t done this yet and he was more then willing, but he wanted to clarify what she was asking him. She looked down at his chest again not able to maintain eye contact in case he was put off, so she didn’t see the smile slowly emerging on his face.  “What exactly are you asking me Charlotte?  Are you asking me to pleasure you with you straddling my face?  Is that what you want?”<br/> <br/>      She looked up at him and saw the cocky grin on his face.  He knew exactly how uncomfortable she was right now and seemed to be taking pleasure in that. He put his hands on her bum and pulled her towards his head. “I would like that very much Luv”. She gave him a shy smile and moved her body in position over his head, with a little help from her husband.  She was afraid to put too much weight on him, so she was tentative holding the headboard, but he was having none of that hand pulled her down on top of him and plunged inside of her with impunity.  <br/> <br/>      It was so different this way with her on top.  He was surrounded by her, the taste of her, the smell of her, it was so hot!  He grew so hard he thought he’d explode.  She made little noises of pleasure and wiggled her hips enticingly.  He could tell when he’d hit the right spot because she stilled her body and moaned out loud.  He sucked hard on her sweet spot and moved his hands so he could put both his thumbs inside her.  He pumped them in and out slowly and licked her on either side of her most sensitive area.  She started to move again at first slowly and then picked up the pace shoving her body closer to his hands and wonderful tongue.  Sidney was lost in the moment and hadn’t noticed that Charlotte had stopped moving until he felt her throb against his tongue.  He could feel her convulsions and removed his thumbs to be replaced with his wet tongue.  It was so exciting to feel her come undone this way, so intimate.  He laved her with his tongue as she came down and watched her as she opened her eyes.  When she went to move off of him he held her there for another minute, licking the length of her.  She smiled down at him fully satisfied.  Finally he let her go and she moved to lie down next to him.<br/> <br/>     Sidney rolled on top of her and looked down at her smiling.  She was so shy about asking for this, he wanted her to know that he’d enjoyed it too.  It gave him immense satisfaction to give her the pleasure she’d asked him for.  “Charlotte, Luv that was amazing.  I really enjoyed it and I hope you did too.  I am your husband and you can always feel free to tell me what you want.  I may not always be interested in the same things as you, but we should always be open and talk about it, Ok?” She nodded at him and smiled.  “Now, I’d like to try something else if you are willing”? She asked him what he wanted.  He told her he’d like to try that again with her on top, but this time he wanted her to taste him too at the same time.  She told him to lie on his back again.  He just smirked at her and complied.  She positioned herself again this time facing his feet.  He held her hips in place and she leaned down and took him in her mouth.  He was so hard for her and he was throbbing.  She let him go and licked the drops off his tip.  He was salty.  <br/> <br/>      This time she was not nearly as inhibited and moved her hips on top of him with abandon.  He loved it and her mouth felt so good on him.  She was hot and wet and alternately blew cool air on his wet cock.  It just made him work her harder with his mouth.  It didn’t take long before they both came loudly in each other’s mouths.  </p><p> </p><p>❤❤❤❤❤</p><p>      Charlotte was quite pleased with herself as she laid her head on his chest afterwards.  She had never been so intimate with anyone.  She had never felt comfortable enough with a lover to ask for what she wanted, but Sidney made it easy and rather clear that he was up for most anything in the bedroom.  His philosophy was that if they were consenting adults, then they should be free to explore their deepest wants and desires.  After this experience she more then agreed.  They fell asleep feeling well and thoroughly loved.  <br/> <br/>      Several hours later they woke to get ready for their lunch meeting.  They spent a long time in the shower with her legs around his waist as he slowly loved her again properly.  Toweled off and dressed, they prepared some horderves and sandwiches for when their guests arrived.  It was decided by the friends that perhaps this should be a more private meeting so instead of a restaurant, they would all come to Sidney and Charlotte’s.  Everyone arrived and they talked over what they all thought should be done over a leisurely lunch.  All of them were concerned about the lack of any information about Edward.  None of them had seen or talked with him.  His phone still just went to voicemail and the police had no leads as to where he might have gone.  <br/> <br/>      Crowe suggested that since they had no idea where Edward was or how long he would be gone, that they should just continue with the expedition and bring up the chests.  Babington concurred and also wanted to bring in more security for the expedition vessel, especially if they really expected to find the crown of the Portuguese King. Sidney, Charlotte Janie and Esther all agreed.  Crowe was to check in again with his investigator, Babington would check in with his police contact again and arrange with Sam for some more men for the vessel. Esther, Charlotte, and Janie were in charge of supplies and Sidney would contact the expedition crew and tell them they were back on the job as of Monday morning.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you have any interest in the Non Profit</p><p>@thepotprojects<br/>or on FaceBook The Pot Projects</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Chapter 45</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A little mid week chapter for your reading pleasure.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 45</strong>
</p>
<p><br/>       Monday arrived.  The weather looked promising and the friends all met at the pier just after sun rise.  All of the security was in place and the crew was already on board the main vessel.  The women had all the supplies delivered over the weekend so all that was left was them and their personal belongings.  It took about a half hour to get out to the main vessel. Crowe was at the helm and Sidney and Charlotte sat together back by the engine and held each other.  The friends were all quiet as they contemplated the accident Sidney and Charlotte had been involved in.  They would all take extra precautions with the supply runs.  Extra satellite phones were purchased so that they could easily communicate even when cell phones didn’t work.  They would also keep extra supplies onboard so in the event of another incident they would have what they needed to survive. <br/> <br/>       Sidney had personally seen to this.  The back seat locker was filled with a small blow up raft, plenty of water, packaged food items, foul weather gear, sun screen, a portable compass and even an extra Sat. phone.  He never wanted to take for granted again just how precarious life could be.   </p>
<p>      They reached the main vessel and the boat crew helped stow the luggage and get everyone settled in their state rooms.  Sidney had made more copies of the maps and journals for use onboard.  He left the originals in the safe deposit box at the Sanditon bank as he hadn’t the opportunity to take them back to Bedford place yet.  They weren’t taking any more chances and had made copies to leave in the Trafalgar House safe as well as a set with Sidney’s personal lawyer.    <br/> <br/>      As the weather held and was looking good for the rest of the day, Sidney, Charlotte and Crowe suited up to dive.  The Babington’s and Janie would stay on board and monitor the weather and cameras with the crew.  The master diver would dive with the friends to assess the situation in the water before the rest of the crew came to join them for excavation and retrieval.  If all went well they could have all four chests in the captains quarters raised today.  There was an air of excitement on board as the divers got in the water.  The anticipation of what they might find was on everyone’s mind.  The crew didn’t like to speculate, it was bad luck.  <br/> <br/>      Sidney made Charlotte promise to stay by his side the whole time in the water.  Since the boating incident, he was a little over the top in his need to keep her safe.  She understood how he felt.  She was feeling the same way so she agreed easily.  It would allow her to keep an eye on him too.  Everyone on the first dive team followed the master diver.  He was the most experienced.  They tested their mic’s as they descended to make sure everyone could communicate.  They would turn on their body cams when they reached the ocean floor and do camera checks.  The current was a little rough today, so it took them a bit longer then usual, but finally the wreck was in sight.  <br/> <br/>      All were relieved when the master diver announced that all the chests were intact and still in place.  He gave orders for the second dive crew to descend and bring the equipment they would need to raise the chests intact.  Sidney decided to circle around the wreck sight again and see what else they could find.  Crowe stayed with the master diver.  Staying in teams of two ensured everyone’s safety and had been decided on before they got in the water.   Doing a quick check of the perimeter, Sidney found and incrusted piece that looked like the hilt of a dagger and Charlotte found some more items that may be coins when cleaned off and several pieces of what looked like chards of pottery.  Putting their finds in their dive bags, Sidney made hand signals to do a wider circle around the wreck site.  <br/> <br/>      They didn’t see much on the second sweep, but on the third they found what may be a cannon.  Charlotte wanted to go a little further out, but their tanks were getting low and the vessel crew was calling them back.  Sidney marked the GPS coordinates for the cannon and signaled Charlotte to make their way back to the surface.  Crowe and the master diver were already at the surface when they got there.  They passed along their dive bags to the crew for cataloging and went to take a shower.  They were quick as they wanted to get back to the work room to monitor the cameras with the vessel crew.  Both were excited to watch them bring up the chests.  <br/> <br/>      The first chest was up and stored in the work room in a water tank.  It had to stay in the sea water while they opened it.  Exposing it to air and drying it out might be detrimental to the find.  The second chest was on the ballasts to be lifted, but the wind started to pick up and they had to abandon the work for the day.  Once the second team was back on board, the friends sat down to talk about whether to open the chest now or to wait until all four were up. Everyone agreed that it was too exciting to wait.  This chest could give them a clue as to what the rest of the find would be.  <br/> <br/>      The group made their way to the work room to tell the crew to go ahead and work on opening the chest.  Sidney and Charlotte and their friends stood around the work table in fascination as the chest was painstakingly cleaned of sediment and debris from the last two hundred years on the ocean floor. They came and went throughout the day to check on progress.  None of them had realized how long it could take to open the chest and they got bored watching.  They had retired above deck for lunch and some cocktails, with the promise that they would be notified before they opened the chest.  <br/> <br/>      Long finished with their meal they spent their time speculating on what the chest might hold.  Sidney and Charlotte had done quite a bit of research.  The size of the chests suggested valuables rather then clothing and personal effects, but one never knew it was just a hunch.  Sidney and Charlotte had moved further down the deck from their friends to lounge in the sun and read when a crew member came up and told them it was time.  The chest had been cleaned and was ready to open.  They all hurried below to the work room.  It took another half an hour to work the lock open and ease the hinges into submission.  Finally all the hard work paid off and the lid was lifted on the chest. <br/> <br/>      What they saw wasn’t what any of them expected.  The top of the chest was covered in a thick grey cloth.  There was collective disappointment around the room, but when the cloth was lifted away carefully there was a cry of excitement from several of them.  The chest was filled with gold and silver coins, relatively clean and untouched.  When the woman who was working on the chest brought several of the coins out of the water it was easy to see they had the Spanish stamp on them, furthering their proof that this was the correct ship described in the journals.   This was a terrific once in a life time find.  The friends were elated until Crowe commented that it was too bad Edward wasn’t here to see it.  That subdued the mood quite a bit.  Leaving her to her work of weighing, counting and cataloguing the find the friends went back above deck to discuss their excitement.   <br/> <br/>      Babington thought it a good idea for Sidney to call his contact at the British museum to notify them of the find so they could get in touch with the Spanish government.  The international law where it stood insured that the treasure belonged to the Spanish and would be turned over to them after it had been catalogued and properly documented.  The expedition would be credited with the find and compensated with a percentage of the value, but they could not keep any of the actual find itself, although they might be able to negotiate part of the treasure to be purchased by the British museum to be put on display there.  Sidney’s contact at the museum was ecstatic and said he couldn’t wait to come out and take a look at the find.  Sidney suggested he wait until the other chests were brought up so he could see it all together.  Sidney told him he’d keep in touch and let him know when that happened.  </p>
<p>      Charlotte couldn’t wait to get her hands on some of the coins to look at the markings up close, so she and Sidney made their way back to the work room below.  The woman working to catalogue the chest was more then willing to have Charlotte take a look.  Looking through the loupe she could see that all the coins had the same markings and they were dated 1816.  </p>
<p>      They were all minted at the same time it appeared, but they wouldn’t know for sure until they were all catalogued.  Some of the coins they had found that had been taken from the work room had different markings of Dutch, English, French and Portuagese origin, but that was not unusual since it was such a large passenger ship.  They could have been coins individual passengers had in their belongings rather then coins from a chest like these.  It would explain the differences in the markings.  It was late in the day and the cataloging for this chest was only about a third of the way done.  About a third of the coins so far were silver and the rest gold.  The work crew would shut down for the day soon and Babington’s men would lock the work room keeping its contents safe.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0046"><h2>46. Chapter 46</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Sunday lovely readers. Let's see if we can find some more Treasure.</p>
<p>At this point you know what to do at the ❤❤❤❤❤'s if you're not into their intimacies.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 46</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Sidney took Charlotte’s hand and they made their way up to the dining room for dinner.  Babington’s staff was fabulous and the food was excellent.  The Cornish game hens which were split and grilled were served with a cranberry sauce glaze, little red roasted potatoes and sautéed green and yellow squash with onions.  On the side was a micro greens salad with simple vinaigrette.  The meal was served with bottles of Sauvignon Blanc. The crisp fruity wine paired well with the meal.  For dessert, there was an Italian panacotta with blackberry sauce and a fine cognac.  Satiated from their meal the friends talked excitedly about the chest they’d brought up today and what may be in the chests still left to be brought up.  If the chest from today was any indication, the find would be one of the biggest in recent history and they were all a little giddy to be a part of it.  It wasn’t about the money for any of them. It was about the prestige of the find and for Sidney in particular it was about his family legacy and finally bringing it home in memory of his parents sacrifice for it.  <br/> <br/>      Charlotte leaned in and asked Sidney if he was ready to retire for the evening.  They were both feeling a bit tipsy from the beverages they’d consumed during the lovely meal.  He looked at her with his eyes full of promises to come and they bid their friends goodnight.  Sidney wasn’t quite ready to go back to their cabin yet and he suggested some stargazing on the bow of the boat.  From up there all of the lights of the vessel would be behind them and they would see the stars better.  There was something special about being out on the water at night and away from all the ambient light from civilization.  The stars were brighter and you could see so many of them. Standing on the furthest point of the bow holding on to the bowsprit with Sidney’s arms wrapped around her from behind was so peaceful.  It felt like they were on the edge of the world with sound of the water lapping on the hull of the boat, the gentle rocking motion of the waves and the endless night sky.  Neither said anything they just enjoyed the peace together.  <br/> <br/>      Eventually Sidney let her go and stepped back.  He gave her his hand and they walked to their cabin for the night.  They knew they wanted to be up early in the morning.  The weather reports suggested another perfect morning for diving with the possibility of a windy afternoon.  They brushed their teeth and got ready for bed together in the very small bathroom which caused them to bump into each other frequently.  They just smiled about it.  It was just foreplay.  They liked to sleep naked at home.  They had taken up the practice when they moved in together and it had stuck.  The only time that didn’t work was when they were staying at Tom and Mary’s. One never knew when they would be awoken early in the morning by one of the children. Charlotte was a little uncomfortable doing so on board with all their friends and the crew around.  Sidney explained he’d compromised by bringing along their robes to hang on the hooks on the wall at the entry of the cabin.  Should they need a quick remedy for company, they would be conveniently by the door.  Charlotte just laughed at him and nodded her head. Obviously he knew her well and had solved the problem ahead of time.<br/> <br/>      After retrieving said robes from his closet and hanging them he returned to the end of the bed and pulled the covers off his wife as she giggled at him for his silliness.  He proceeded to crawl slowly up the bed making little growling noises.  She knew he was trying to be sexy, but it just ended up being a little dorky and awkward and she tried to stifle her laugh, but couldn’t hold it in and it bubbled out of her anyway.  Sidney arched his eyebrow and looked at her with his most serious look. “Are you laughing at me Wife”? She shook her head trying to get her laughing under control.  “Is it nice to laugh at your husband”?  She shook her head again with more laughter bubbling out. She couldn’t stop and just laughed out loud, tears trailing down her face.  Sidney took his revenge by grabbing her feet and pulling her down the bed with one swift motion she went from sitting to prone.  He then straddled her at her waist, grabbed both her arms and pinned them with one hand over her head and proceeded to tickle her unmercifully with the other. <br/> <br/>      She begged him for mercy in between laughing but he wouldn’t quit.  She begged him again and started to fight to get away.  “Say your sorry”.  </p>
<p>     “No, I won’t!  Please, Sidney”.  </p>
<p>      “If you want me to stop, you know what to do”!</p>
<p>      Not being able to stand the torture any more she finally yelled she was sorry and begged him to stop.</p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>      He did, but he still held her so she couldn’t move and started kissing her neck and down to her beautiful breasts.   </p>
<p>      “Do you forgive me husband”? He just hummed his response as her nipples perked to tight beads as he licked her with the tip of his tongue.  “I need you inside me”, she said.  He had no more restraint.  He spread her legs with his own still holding her hands and plunged into her in one quick movement.  They both moaned at the contact.  He pulled all the way out again and plunged back in again over and over until she couldn’t stand it anymore and moaned a garbled, <br/> “Please, Sidney” into his ear.  Sidney let go of her hands and started pumping his hips at a punishing pace.  Charlotte was whimpering her pleasure, she was so close.  </p>
<p>      “Come with me Luv, he growled.”  She did in an intense burst of pleasure.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p> They were both sweaty and hot in their small room.  It took them quite a while before either was ready to move.  “Shower”, was all Sidney could say.  He got up and unceremoniously pulled her with him.  They stuffed themselves into the tiny shower and washed each other lovingly.  Dry and feeling well and thoroughly loved, they fell asleep.  <br/> <br/>      Morning dawned bright and beautiful.  The weather reports had been accurate.  After some morning loving, Sidney and Charlotte made their way to the wet room to get on their dive gear.  They wanted to be in the water today to watch the process of raising the second of the four chests.  Maybe they would get a little more time to explore where they found the cannon the day before.  The second chest went up more quickly then the first since the equipment was already in place, but the wind started to pick up and they would not be able to raise the third and fourth today.  Charlotte checked her air gage.  They still had plenty of time on her tank.  To be safe, she looked at Sidney’s gage too.  His read the same.  They told the rest of the team over their mic’s to take the chest to the surface.  They were going to do a little more exploring. Babington told them the wind was picking up a bit, but that wouldn’t affect them under water for a while, at least until the tide started to change.  He would give them a warning on their air if they got close.  <br/> <br/>      Using hand signals instead of mic’s they made their way back to the GPS coordinates from the cannon yesterday.  They spent some time removing the growth of algae and sediment.  It was definitely a cannon from the wreck.  They swam out in ever growing circles from that spot and spotted what might just be the bow of the ship. The captain’s cabin was in the stern, but this was the first sighting of anything large enough to be the other part of the ship.  When they got close enough to see more clearly they were disappointed to find that it was a rock formation and not the missing parts of the ship.  Babington piped up in their earpieces, it was time to come back, air levels were getting low.  They swam together back to the expedition vessel.  <br/> <br/>      Showered and changed from the dive, they headed to the work room to see how it was going with the second chest.  This one looked very similar to the first and it was hoped that it was a set and would contain the same as the first chest.  Charlotte was eying the chest closely, looking for the finding that would hold a secret key.  She spent a long time watching the work.  Sidney knew that if she found anything she wouldn’t tell him in the presence of the crew and he was excited to know her thoughts.  He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “are you ready to go, Luv’?  She smiled up at him and nodded her head.  <br/> <br/>      Taking Sidney’s hand they made their way to their friends and lunch.  Charlotte explained that she thought this chest from today appeared to be the same as the one they had brought up yesterday and it was expected that the contents would be similar to yesterday’s find.  Charlotte also explained that she had been closely looking at the video from today’s excavation.  It was her opinion that the third of the four chests was just a little different in the size and findings and the lock was definitely different.  She was hopeful that this was the chest that would contain the missing crown of Portugal.  As the friends ate, they speculated about the third chest and what it might contain if it wasn’t the crown.  Perhaps it was the captains or another passenger’s valuables that they thought unsafe to keep in their own cabin.  They were anxious to find out.  <br/> <br/>      Word came from below that they were ready to open the second chest and they all hurried down to the work room in anticipation.  Today the woman working on the chest had it ready to be opened immediately before she called them. In minutes the chest was opened and the same grey material was on the top.  When removed this chest was filled with the same coins from yesterday, but there seemed to be a section for gem stones as well.  It was hard to tell in the light what kind of stones they were, just that there were many different sizes.  Some of the coins were pulled out and confirmed that they were exactly the same as chest number one.  The woman was reaching in for some of the stones and pulling them out to place on the white towel on the table, when a thunderous sound startled all of them, they lost all power, the engines going silent and the ship shook beneath their feet.<br/> <br/>      Security came to the door before anyone could guess at the noise and told them they would all have to go above deck while security swept the boat.  Shocked and frightened for everyone’s safety, Sidney started asking questions.  The Captain had determined that they were not taking on water, those gages had a battery back up and they were not in any immediate danger.  Security pushed them all out the door in a hurry and told them to hold the rest of their questions until they were above deck.  They were all handed life jackets to put on.  Several of Babington’s security team stayed on deck with the crew and passengers and the others went to sweep all decks for the source of the noise.  <br/> <br/>      Sidney just held Charlotte tight to him.  He was shaking a bit and needed her comfort.  She also needed to feel his arms around her.  This was just too similar to the incident a few weeks ago that almost claimed both of their lives.  It seemed to take forever for security to sweep the boat.  Babington was on a walkie talkie with the team as they were below decks.  He was getting more and more agitated by the minute and Sidney was looking towards him for answers.  Finally the rest of the security team came back and they huddled up with Babington to give him their report.  <br/> <br/>       When Babington came back to the group he was pale and angry.  He explained that the team had found a small incendiary device intact in the engine room and what looked like remnants of a second.  They were not sure why the second device had not detonated, but had disarmed the trigger so it was no longer a danger.  They had swept the boat before the crew arrived and again every day since, but these were hidden inside the housing for the battery and only were visible after the explosion.  Babington was taking them back to the main land on the supply boat as soon as everyone had gathered their things. <br/> <br/>      Their individual security details would meet them at the pier.  Another small vessel was on its way to pick up the remaining crew.  Security would stay on board to do another sweep and to secure the treasure.  Sidney made a few calls.  There was a panic room set up for the family at the resort in case of an emergency once they were packed properly for transport, the chests could be stored there until and investigation could take place and the engines could be repaired. Crowe was amazingly sober so he captained the supply boat to shore while Sidney got in touch with Sam to apprize him of the situation and Babington called the detective on the supply boat investigation and told him about the latest incident.  Everyone on board was wondering what they had gotten themselves into.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I grew up sailing so the part about being on the water at night and  looking out at all the stars is true. I fell asleep many nights looking at the beautiful night stars with the sound of the water lapping against the boat lulling me to sleep. I still dream about it.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0047"><h2>47. Chapter 47</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It is a bright and sunny Sunday here and a crisp 54°F, but I will take it as it has been dreary, cloudy and rainy a lot lately. Hope all of you with cold wintery snow and Ice are hanging in there for spring. We are starting to see signs here, trees are budding and daffodils blooming. I love spring, but we only get a few weeks of it here before the heat of summer sets in and it is hell wit my seasonal allergies. Time to plant the garden soon,nothing like home grown tomatoes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>Chapter 47</strong><br/>
 </p>
<p>      The boat ride back to the pier was quiet, each contemplating their own thoughts.  Sidney held Charlotte in his lap.  He needed her close to be sure she was safe.  When they got to the pier security was there to meet them and take them home.  They all agreed to meet at Trafalgar House in the morning to talk, but they were all tired and in shock and just needed some time to process the events of the day.  Charlotte rode again on Sidney’s lap, still too afraid to let each other go.  Sidney finally spoke, “I was so scared.  I thought I might loose you again.  I feel sick.”  Charlotte just hugged him tighter.  She felt the same but wasn’t ready to talk about it quite yet.<br/>
 <br/>
      At home they took off their clothes and got in the hot bath together, just sitting there quietly for a long time. “Who could be doing this Sidney? Today was no accident.  Someone is definitely trying to sabotage the expedition.  Why?  Are they after the treasure?  Are they trying to stop us from finding something?  I just can’t work it out.  There are many expeditions for treasure at any given time.  Why this one that has no national press or notoriety?”  She questioned all the details.  Worked over who knew the details and of those people, who they trusted and who might be suspect.  Sidney admired how her mind worked through the problem.  Again something was niggling at the back of her mind.  Something she felt was important, but dismissed at the time.  She just couldn’t figure out what, as they got out of the bath and dried off Charlotte mentioned looking over the journals again. They were their best source for information.  <br/>
 <br/>
     Sidney and Charlotte tried to eat something but both just picked at the food.  Sidney suggested a movie in bed to take their minds off the situation.  They could come at it fresh in the morning when they met up with the rest of the group.  They picked a romantic comedy.  It was light and happy and didn’t feed into any of their negative emotions.  They both felt exhausted after the movie and took a nap.  Charlotte woke up to Sidney’s hot body wrapped around her. She nuzzled into his neck and took in his sent.  It calmed her. <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney woke drowsily a while later.  His wife was nuzzling and kissing his neck. He felt calmer then he had earlier and he felt himself stir at her attentions.  He pulled her tighter to him and let out a heavy sigh.  If they could just stay like this forever, safe and warm in their bed then there would never be anything to worry about.  Her hands started roaming his body and he opened his eyes to watch her growing more excited by the second.  Eventually he couldn’t stand it anymore and rolled over on top of her and kissed her fervently.  They spent an hour or so loving each other slowly to affirm their feelings of being safe in each other’s arms.  Lying there afterwards Sidney heard Charlotte’s stomach growl loudly.  They both laughed and it broke some of the tension of the day and they got up to find some food.<br/>
 <br/>
      Babington called and the detective on the original case was assigned this one as well as they appeared related and he would meet them at lunch time at Trafalgar House after the friends had a chance to talk.  When they were through eating Charlotte sat in the living room with copies of the journals again going through them in chronological order.  She just wished she knew what she was looking for.  Sidney picked up one of his Mother’s journals and started to read it.  By the time they were ready for bed, they had no new answers.  Hopefully tomorrow would shed some light on the problem.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney sat up abruptly in bed sweating and his heart racing, startling Charlotte awake.  She climbed into his lap and straddled him and held him until he stopped shaking. He told her about his nightmare.  He’d been on the supply boat about to make a run with Babington when the main vessel exploded with her, Crowe, Janie, and Esther aboard, and then he woke up. She hugged him tighter and murmured in his ear that everything was alright, he was safe and in her arms.  They lay back down and she didn’t let him go for the rest of the night.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The morning was grey and rainy and fit the somber mood of the group assembled in the kitchen in Trafalgar House.  Mary had made them all breakfast feeling that the least she could do was make sure they were all fed.  The friends related what happened in detail to Tom and Mary while they ate. Mary suggested that maybe they should stop with the exhibition that it wasn’t worth any of their lives.  Tom balked at the idea saying that what they’d found already was priceless and would bring lots of tourists to the area in search of treasure.  It could only benefit the resort and the town so he thought it was important to finish what they’d started.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney was irritated by his brother’s argument.  He seemed not to take the situation seriously enough.  His only thoughts were for the business this could bring to the resort.  Sidney spoke up and made his feelings known and Tom was embarrassed and got quiet.  Each of the friends had their chance to talk about what they wanted and eventually there was a consensus that none of them wanted to give in to the terroristic threats and they wanted to continue the expedition as soon as the area was cleared by the police.  That sorted, Babington decided to look into renting a new vessel while the current one was being repaired.  He would send his security team to retrieve it and stay on board assuring its custody and the safety of everyone.  All present agreed that it was the best course of action.  Security would sweep both the new vessel and the supply boat several times a day to prevent any other sabotage.  Equipment checks on the diving equipment would be done by Sidney and Crow before every dive.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Tom spoke up and thought they should include Gerry on a zoom chat when the detective arrived.  He had already gone home and back to work, but Tom was sure he would make himself available to consult.  Sidney was unsure of if Gerry could have any insight, but he was helpful with the security problem so he agreed that it was alright to include him in the meeting.  When the detective arrived, Gerry was already on zoom with the group.  The detective said that forensics was out collecting evidence as they spoke on the expedition vessel and it would take a few days to have any results of that investigation.  They went over safety protocol and security details and Babington’s security team was still onboard and would do another sweep of the vessel as soon as the police were done with the investigation.  The detective asked the regular questions, did anyone hold a grudge against any of them, was anyone new in their lives, any suspicious activity that anyone noticed.  Gerry mentioned their parent’s accident to the detective questioning the similarity between that accident and what happened yesterday.  The detective said he would pull the old files and look them over.   There still wasn’t any new information Edward Denham.  It seems like he’d fallen off the face of the earth.  The police had zero leads to pursue.  The detective left reminding them to contact him if they thought of anything pertinent or saw any suspicious activity.  Gerry logged off when the meeting ended and told them to keep to the security protocols and stay safe.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The meeting brought up a lot of emotions for everyone.  They were all discussing possible suspects and how they wanted to handle getting back to the wreck site.  The new boat Babington had secured would be delivered in the morning.  Sidney was shocked when Gerry brought up their parents accident.  It had never even crossed his mind that the two incidents had some similarities.  There had never been any indication of foul play at the time of his parent’s deaths and it had been ruled as an accident.  As they all talked it was clear that none of them believed the new incidents were related to the past.  The friends broke up and went their separate ways after arranging to meet at the pier tomorrow after security checked out the new vessel and they could probably make it out to the wreck site by mid afternoon.  They were assured the police would be finished with the investigation by then.  They wouldn’t get any diving in tomorrow, but that would give time for the crew to report back.  Everything would be set to dive early the following day as long as the weather cooperated. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0048"><h2>48. Chapter 48</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Good Wednesday Sanditon Fans. It's a lovely day for a Mystery and to hunt some treasure. Enjoy.</p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤ By this point in the story I assume you know what to do if your not into the explicit scenes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 48</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      The next morning Sidney arranged for the chests that had been stored in the panic room at the resort to be transported back to the pier to be put on the new vessel.  Babington was very serious about security and hired men to accompany the chests all the way to the vessel and they would stay on as added security just for the treasure itself.  If what Charlotte believed was contained in the third chest was actually there, then it was imperative that the security was tight. Sidney had not yet contacted the British Museum about the second chest.  The friends believed that it was best if less people knew about the find the better at this point.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Edward was still the prime suspect for the supply boat sinking and the explosion on the main vessel.  They were still looking for other suspects but most leads were dead ends and the fact that no one had seen or heard from Edward since Sidney and Charlotte were found alive at sea seemed highly suspicious and condemning.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sam’s security company had stepped up their game since the explosion and was being very strict with the protocols, but rather then feeling restricted by them, it made Sidney feel like they were doing everything they could to insure everyone’s safety.  Still even with all the security on board he had a hard time falling asleep.  Charlotte noticed his agitation and was waiting for him to talk to her about it.  The third time he sighed loudly and turned over, she turned on the bedside light and asked him what was the matter, aside from the obvious of course.  <br/>
 <br/>
      He told her he’d been going round and round in his mind about what Gerry had suggested about his parents. If Edward was their culprit, he just didn’t see how it was possible that he’d had a hand in their accident.  Edward was at university at the time with him and Babington. He wasn’t anywhere near Margate at the time of his parents deaths.  Edward had been with him when he got the call and was just as shocked and worried as Sidney.  He couldn’t fake that.  He was a poor Uni. student at the time he couldn’t have afforded to pay anyone to help him. Yet, it was hard to dismiss that both of the current incidents involved trying to sink a boat with his family or friends or both aboard while involved in finding the family legacy, just as his parents were all those years ago.  None of it made any sense and it was just spinning in his head that he was missing something big.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Charlotte didn’t have any answers to give him so she just straddled him and held him until he started to caress her sides in long slow sweeps down to her hips and back up just grazing the sides of her breasts with his thumbs.</p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> Up and down in a methodic rhythm until he rested them on her bum and massaged gently.  She could feel him hardening between their bodies. Leaning in to kiss his soft lips, she sucked the bottom one into her mouth and bit down gently with her teeth.  Sidney hummed in appreciation and moved his hips up to meet hers several times. He slipped his hand between them to rest his thumb on her sensitive spot gently circling around it with increasing pressure. Charlotte responded with a deep kiss and moving her hips to get closer to his hand.  Sidney stepped up the pressure and speed of his ministrations.  Her wiggling hips were driving him nuts but he wanted to pay attention to giving her pleasure and if he was inside her he would loose his focus.  He dipped his thumb in her wetness and brought it back to her sweet spot rubbing up and down and around and around alternately.<br/>
 <br/>
      Charlotte didn’t think that was enough so she lifted herself up and guided him in with her hand letting out a satisfied moan when he was fully inside her finally.  Sidney crashed himself into her lips and kissed her hard while setting a fast pace with his hips.  She met him stroke for stroke and it wasn’t long before she exploded with pleasure and he followed soon after.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Exhausted from their exertions and from the emotional events of the last few days, they fell asleep sweaty in each others arms.  Some time later, Charlotte was chilly and brought the blankets up around them and nestled back in to Sidney’s neck and fell asleep again.<br/>
 <br/>
      They were both awake at dawn. Showered and changed they went up to watch the sunrise.  The only others awake were the security officers who nodded their heads as they walked on deck.  Sidney asked if all was well and the man assured him everything was as it should be.  Satisfied that all that could be done was being done, Sidney took his wife’s hand and led her to the bow of the boat to watch the sun come up.  It was still a little chilly so Charlotte had brought a blanket to wrap around them. They sat on the chaise at cuddled under the blanket to watch the day break.  A little while later one of the crew brought them coffee and told them everyone was gathering in the dining room for breakfast.  They lingered with their coffee for a while not wanting to break their peace. <br/>
 <br/>
      When they finally showed for breakfast everyone was finished eating and sat around the table discussing plans for the day.  Crowe teased them for their tardiness.  Janie hushed him and reminded him they were still newlyweds.  Charlotte just blushed a bit when Babington joined in and commented about what busy newlyweds they were and if they kept it up there would soon be another Parker heir.  Charlotte had always wanted children and the idea of them being Sidney’s children was even more appealing.  Still she wasn’t quite ready yet for that step.  Selfishly she wanted her husband to herself for a while longer first.  Sidney was watching his wife and picturing her round with his child and it brought a cocky smile to his face.  He just winked at his wife and wiggled his eyebrows.  This broke the moment and made everyone laugh.  They all needed a good laugh with all the seriousness of the last few weeks.  <br/>
 <br/>
      It was perfect weather for their planned dive this morning.  Everyone met on deck when they had suited up.  Sidney and Charlotte would go down again with the Master diver and his team.  They wanted to explore a little further then the rock formation they had found their last time down.  The dive team could handle raising the last two chests so that would give them plenty of time to explore.  Two of the security team was diving too.  One to accompany the team and one to stay with Sidney and Charlotte, they were taking no more chances.  Sidney had checked their equipment himself to make sure all was in order.  <br/>
 <br/>
      They followed the GPS coordinates on Sidney’s watch back out to the rock formation.  The swept out from side to side of it looking around and found another formation that looked similar to the other cannon, marking the coordinates for that they swam back to the rocks.  Looking at their gages they had some more time so decided to swim a little further out behind the rocks to see what was there.  When they rounded the end of the formation they were excited to see another large shape in the distance.  Upon closer inspection they were both sure they had found the bow of the wreck mostly submerged in the sand.  It looked mostly intact, but it was hard to tell since most of it was buried.  What they could see was encrusted with two hundred years of growth and sediment, but it looked like the shape of a figurehead on the bow. This was an excellent development.  It would take days if not weeks to excavate the ship from the sand, but if intact all the other cabins could hold other interesting finds.  Sidney marked the new coordinates and they made their way back to the main wreck sight.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The dive team was just emerging with the third and fourth intact chests and readying it to bring them safely to the surface.  Back on deck, the team took the find to the secure work room while Sidney and Charlotte were relating to their friends what the think they’d found.  After freshening up they would meet everyone in the work room to look at the new chests and go over Sidney and Charlotte’s camera footage.  They showered together in the little shower to save time, but it back fired on them when Sidney picked her up and she put her legs around his hips as he plunged into her warmth.  It was fast and hard as they came undone one after the other.  They dried and dressed quickly.  Neither wanted any more smart comments from their friends.  This back fired as well as Crow and Babington smirked at each other when their friends entered the room after everyone else had been there for quite a while.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Charlotte was ecstatic to see that this third chest was so obviously different from the first two.  There was no doubt it was a different maker.  Aside from the lock being totally different, all the findings on the corners and bands on the box were different as well.  Sidney located the translation from the cipher they’d located in the journal.  He handed it to Charlotte as it was her find and Charlotte gave instructions to the crew member working on cleaning the chest so she knew what to look for.  Once cleaned the instructions from the cipher proved accurate and the key was still intact.  Cleaning out the lock with some compressed air and then using some oil to lubricate the lock.  The key was inserted and it took a minute, but eventually the key turned and the lock popped.  This was the moment Charlotte had been waiting for since she first found the cipher. She was shaking with her anticipation.  Sidney came to stand beside her and she grabbed his hand and held it tight.  The hinges on the chest were tight and corroded.  It was a few minutes before the lid could be lifted, but it seemed like an eternity.  The inside of the chest was lined with a padded deep burgundy material that looked like crushed velvet.  When they all looked inside, what they saw took their breath away.  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0049"><h2>49. Chapter 49</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So sorry to leave everyone hanging, but we all know anticipation is the best part of any good mystery or a romance, right? Forgive me please. You know what's coming though, don't you?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 49</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Sidney couldn’t believe his eyes.  He already knew his wife was brilliant but this just proved it.   Inside the chest was a delicate crown made of gold and diamonds interspersed with aquamarine beryl. It was exquisite in its design, very feminine in nature and fully intact.  It looked like it had just been made rather then submerged under the sea for the last two hundred years.  A little research into jewels coming out of Portugal at the time helped to confirm its origins.  Brazil was one of Portugal’s colonies until the early 1800’s so lots of precious stones and yellow gold were incorporated into Portuguese jewelry of the time.  It was highly probable that the stones and gold ore were provided to the English jeweler to use in the making of this masterpiece.  The excitement in the room was palpable.  If this was indeed the crown described in the cipher and being that the key was where the cipher indicated, it was highly likely, then this might be the treasure find of the decade.  This crown was one of a kind and perhaps with any luck the providence could be traced.  If the crown had a jewelers mark on it anywhere then it was possible they could track down written records and along with the cipher and the journal, it would be a most remarkable find.  They might also find help tracing the providence on the Portuguese end.  If it was a royal commission as the cipher indicated then they might be able to trace those documents as well.    <br/>
 <br/>
      The lid was replaced on the chest.  Only a few knew of the contents, the friends, two crew members and possibly the security guard outside the door.  They all agreed that it should be kept quiet until they could get the find back to land and into the panic room at the resort.  That would happen as soon as they could finish cataloguing the contents of the second and fourth chests. When the fourth chest was opened it was confirmed to be the third chest of Spanish gold found in the Portuguese fisherman’s journal. The friends left the crew to their work and went above deck to find some lunch.  Talking excitedly in code about the find and also that Sidney and Charlotte may have located the rest of the wreck. The group was in a jubilant and celebratory mood.   It was good to have something to celebrate rather then something to investigate.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The next week went by in a mix of dive days and inclement weather days.  They were finished cataloguing the find and ready to transfer it to the resort.  Arrangements had been made very need to know, and the chests would be transported with a special security detail to the resort tomorrow morning.  Tom would be on hand to receive them and be sure they were secure in the panic room.  There would be two guards left outside the panic room at all times.  Once secured, Sidney was to contact the British Museum to apprise them of the find and arrange for them to come and view it. He was also to coordinate with the Museum director to make a plan for transport to the national museum in London, where the items would be removed from the salt water, cleaned and restored for display.  The British Museum would then make arrangements to hand off the find to the Portuguese and Spanish governments. Until that happened all would remain tight lipped about the find.  They would be able to openly talk about it when the Portuguese, Spanish and German governments made their official announcements of the find to the press, which could take months. Sanditon and the British Museum could then appeal to those governments concerned to have some of the items on display.  Tom was particularly keen to hold onto the ship wreck itself and make a small museum in Sanditon as a memorial to their parent’s legacy.  Sidney and Charlotte thought it was an ambitious idea and not likely to come to fruition, but they couldn’t deny it would be a boon to the town.  <br/>
 <br/>
      They had made good headway on excavating the bow of the boat and it looked as if it was fully intact.  The ship appeared to have split in half when it sunk at the aft mast.  Dropping the stern half in one place with the captain’s cabin and the foreword half with the passengers cabins in the other.  It might take weeks before they got the whole thing out of the sand.  It was just as well, they needed a diversion from the police investigation and the wait for the government’s announcements.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The next morning the friends were to accompany the chests and security team back to the pier on the mainland.  There the special security team would accompany the chests to Tom and the friends would go separate ways.  They weren’t needed on the expedition vessel again until the bow was totally excavated and made secure.  This gave Crowe, Janie and Babington’s time to catch up on business and real life.  Sidney and Charlotte were going to spend their time pouring over the original journals and maps again in search of what had been bothering Charlotte.<br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney and Charlotte were several cars behind the van carrying the special security team and the chests.  They had their own security detail that was in the front of their car.  About half way to the resort the vehicles were separated further by a red light.  This put the van out of view.  Traffic got moving again when the light turned, but slowed down about a mile ahead to a stand still.  They could hear some agitated whispered conversation from the guards in the front and the body language caught their attention.  Sidney asked if there was a problem. Frowning, the officer in the passenger seat turned and told them the van holding the chests had been attacked by two gunmen, all four men on the special security team were killed, and the chests were taken.  That is why traffic was at a stand still.  The couple was in shock again and had no words.  They had all been so careful about who knew about the transaction today.  They were silent as they waited in traffic.  It took about an hour before the van scene was investigated and removed.  It was another half hour before they walked into the living room at Trafalgar House to a very somber group of friends and family, and one police detective they had seen way too much of lately.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The detective left about an hour later after his usual round of questions.  It was getting to the point where Charlotte could have done the interviews herself.  She had all the questions memorized and even could give most of their friend’s answers by heart as well.  Mary made them all a meal which most of them picked at.  Sidney couldn’t stand his frustration anymore and suggested they all go for a walk on the beach to let off some steam.  The rest of the day went buy with out any further information on the robbery, the investigation, or Edward for that matter.  The group was despondent and separated for the night to their homes with their security details in tow.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Charlotte and Sidney were quiet on the way home both processing what had happened.  As soon as the house had been checked and given the all clear Sidney closed the door behind them and turned to grab Charlotte.  He kissed with fierce passion needing to confirm that they were both ok, needing to feel her in his arms. The robbery had been way too close for comfort.  What if they hadn’t been separated by the light?  If they had witnessed the robbery it was a distinct possibility they might be dead right now along with those four men who had the unfortunate job of securing the treasure chests.  Sidney shuddered at the thought.  Then he shut it all off and concentrated on the beautiful woman in his arms and the distraction he could find in giving her pleasure.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Neither of them slept much that night so each time they woke the made love until they were so exhausted that sleep came like a coma and nothing could have woken them.  It was mid morning before they stirred and both still feeling the exhaustion, decided on a bath together.  They were in there for a very long time relaxing and adding in more hot water when the bath cooled.  A little more relaxed they dressed and made a meal together in a companionable silence.  One of the things Sidney appreciated about Charlotte is that she didn’t need to fill every silence with words.  They were fine just to be in each others company.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Belly’s full they sat on the living room sofa and talked about the events of the day before and waiting to hear if the police could find any leads.  It would be nice to recover the chests, but that was the least of their worries.  Four men had died for those chests and they wanted answers as to why they had to sacrifice their lives.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Feeling a little hung over today without all the fun. Time change last night, spring forward, so we loose an hour of sleep. Couple that with age, a few late nights writing and one double feature at the drive in movies and this woman feels like she's been up all night partying.</p>
<p>***Yes, I was surprised that we still had a viable drive in theatre in Atlanta, GA, USA, and it was packed. I was lucky we didn't get a contact high though as our neighbors in the lot were to king up every 20 minutes or so. My kids kept wondering what that smell was...and no Marijuana is not legal in Georgia.😆 It was like being inside the movie Grease.  This will reveal my age, but my parents dropped me and my younger friend off at a movie theater when I was 8, my companion 7 to watch that movie by ourselves. In their defence, it was a very small seaside town where everyone knew everyone and before we had terms in the world like Internet and sexual predator. So fast forward a few years and I decide to watch Grease with my young daughters, remembering what a fun musical it is. rated PG, that tells you times had changed. As we are all watching and Danny Zucco is singing about how, "Chick's will cream for Grease Lightning ", well you can imagine how I face palmed myself thinking It was an epic parent fail! Fortunately I was saved in that my girls actually loved the movie and they were too young to understand all the sexual inuendo. Moral of the story, all those movies you watched as kids, watch them again before you decide to watch them with your kids, ratings for movies these days are so much different.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0050"><h2>50. Chapter 50</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This one is a short one. I am not a big sports fan, but I find it interesting how we incorporate sports metaphors into our everyday language. I am not sure this one is used much outside the US, but we are "coming into the home stretch" Sisters. Not too many chapters before all will be revealed. Thanks to all you Darling readers out there following this story and a special shout out to a Miss Jane Featherstone for posting all our fanfic updates on FB. I am so excited to be close to getting 10,000 hits on this story. That was my goal based on other popular stories in our Fandom. Just a little test for myself to see if I measure up at all. So thank you so much for reading, I am humbled.</p>
<p>***Saying used in horse racing for the horses coming around the final turn and passing the winning post.I guess it would be applicable in any sort of race on a round track. I liked this metaphors Lady S used a similar one to encourage Charlotte that all was not lost.***</p>
<p>P.S. Forgive me, lack of sleep apparently makes me wordy and waxing poetic.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 50</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      The phone rang late in the afternoon and neither wanted to get up to get it.  It went to voice mail and Charlotte finally went to get the phone.  It was Sidney’s, Babington had called.  Sidney called him back and was on the phone for a while.  Charlotte went back to her book.  When Sidney finished the call he came in looking hopeful.  The police had found some CCTV footage of the robbery.  Four masked gunmen had pulled up in another van and blocked the van carrying the chests, exited their vehicle and opened up shooting.  The driver and front passenger were killed instantly.  The other two security guards riding in the back with the cargo were pulled out of the back, told to get on the ground and shot in the head execution style. The armed gunmen proceeded to move the cargo from one van to the other and took off down a side road and out of view of the cameras.  The whole thing took 8 minutes and 12 seconds.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Charlotte was silent while she absorbed all of the information.  She knew there was more so she held her question.  Sidney continued with the story.  The get away van was a grey Mercedes with rear cargo doors and tinted windows so they had no good description of the robbers, only that they all appeared to be Caucasian and male.  It was impossible to determine anything more then that basic description and estimates on height.  The only good news is that the camera’s caught a rental sticker on the bumper with an inventory number on it.  The police ran with that information.  The rental company had been located and the van had a GPS tracking system.  One of the chips had been disabled, but there was a second hidden in the engine compartment that the robbers missed.  They had GPS coordinates on the van and it was moving at speed limit towards the boarder to Scotland.  The British Museum had gotten wind of the robbery and when they couldn’t get in touch with Sidney they called Babington.  Babington gave Sidney’s contact at the museum a rundown of events and information on what was contained in all four chests.  The British Museum had in turn contacted the Portuguese, Spanish and German governments.  MI5 was now heading the investigation to help divert an international incident.  MI5 was in route to capture the van as they spoke.  Babington’s father was in an important member of parliament and had some pull, so they would be getting regular updates on the investigation.  They were to all meet tomorrow morning at the Babington Estate in London to see one of the MI5 agents on the team for individual interviews.  <br/>
 <br/>
      They couldn’t believe how much had happened in the last 18 hours.  Sidney called Tom to let them know about the meeting at the Babington’s.  He and Mary were asked to be there to be interviewed and he was to bring Gerry’s contact information so an agent could track him down for an interview as well.  Sidney and Charlotte went to bed that evening exhausted from their lack of sleep the night before both falling asleep quickly wrapped in each others warmth.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The morning came swiftly. They dressed, had some coffee and headed over to the Babington’s estate.  They were early, but that was alright it would give them some quiet time with their friends to discuss what had happened over breakfast before the agent came for interviews.  Crowe and Janie were all ready there.  Tom and Mary were waiting for the sitter and would meet them after breakfast.  After eating they sat around the table talking about possible suspects and making a list of everyone they could think of that would have known about the transportation plans for the chests.   The list was short:</p>
<p>Babington<br/>
Esther<br/>
Crowe<br/>
Sidney<br/>
Charlotte<br/>
Janie<br/>
Tom<br/>
Mary<br/>
The four guards on the security team in the van<br/>
Sam, the director of the security company</p>
<p>      The friends were stumped. There wasn’t anyone on the list they didn’t implicitly trust except the security men.  Babington vouched for Sam, he’d known him since child hood.  They were family friends going way back.  Sam’s company was used for parliament and the royal family on occasion and had been vetted by MI5 and MI6 for that purpose.  As ex-military, Sam was very careful in vetting his employees and he paid very well.  It was highly unlikely the leak came from there.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Agent Sheila Brody and the police detective in charge of the boating incidents were right on time.  The detective was liaising with MI5 on a joint task force until the investigation was over.  Brody was all business and very professional.  Babington set her up in his private study for her individual interviews.  They were all asked not to discuss their interviews until each of them had been interviewed.  At that time they would have a group interview session to clear up any discrepancies.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The interviews took most of the morning and part of the afternoon.  Those not in the interview room had lunch and tried their best not to discuss their interviews.  The police detective was there to remind them when they got off track.  By the time all the interviews were complete and they were called together in the large parlor, everyone was grumpy from the long day and on edge because they could not discuss it openly.  There was a collective silent sigh in the room that they might finally get some answers.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The tack that the group interview took surprised and frustrated the friends.  General questions were asked to shore up the time line of events starting with the first accident of the supply boat with Charlotte and Sidney up until the robbery.  There were even questions about the charter paperwork for all the vessels and equipment, the permit for the find and details on who had hired and vetted the crew.  The topic of Edward came up, and the details of the money he still owed for his last expedition.  Everyone was asked again if any of them had seen or heard from Edward since his disappearance. Questions were also asked about Gerald Delany.  How did they know him? How had they met?  What part he had in the treasure hunt.  Did anyone know where he was now?   <br/>
 <br/>
      Charlotte’s mind was working a mile a minute, Sidney could tell.  She was bouncing, like she did when she was working through a conundrum.  He wondered for the millionth time since he met her what was going on in that beautiful brain.  Charlotte had been going through the journals again since the robbery, concentrating on the most recent ones. She was still missing something and she thought she’d just figured out what it was.  She was itching to talk it out with Sidney.  She had found it odd when Brody had asked about Uncle Gerry.  She didn’t think of it much the first time she’d asked. Then she’d followed up with a couple of questions about how he was acquainted with Edward.  But, by the end of the interview she was circling back around to Uncle Gerry again.  Charlotte explained that she hardly knew the man.  She’d met him once in person and had participated in a meeting with him where he was on zoom.  He was an acquaintance from her husband’s family.  From what she’d been told he was an old family friend of her husband’s parents.  They had lost touch as Gerry was out of the country from the time Sidney’s parent’s funeral until he’d recently retired.  He had reconnected with Tom in London a few months ago and that was all she knew.  She didn’t even know the man’s last name.  “Delany”, the agent said.  “Gerald Delany”.<br/>
 <br/>
      Now it all clicked for her as Brody was again asking about Gerry in the group interview, recounting all of the information she’d collected from the individual interviews.  The agent wanted to make sure that there were no details she’d missed.  Charlotte had been reading the most recent journal again last night. It was one written by Sidney’s Mother starting back about a year before she died right up until about a month before the accident.  It was started before they’d narrowed down the location of the wreck at Margate. The code for the cipher Sidney had found was in the margins of the latter part of this journal as well.  She made a comment about an old friend and his family visiting, she called the friend by his initials G.D. She wrote later again that year about being surprised that G.D. and his family was coming back for a vacation in the winter for the holiday break.  She remarked on it because they usually only came in the summer.  That was about four months before Sidney’s parents were lost at sea.  There was one more reference in that journal for G.D. on the second to last page of the journal, she had written the initials in the margins with a question mark beside it.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney noticed Charlotte getting more and more jittery.  He knew her well enough by now to know she’d figured something out and was having a hard time holding it in.  Obviously she didn’t want to talk about it in front of the police.  He couldn’t wait for the interview to be over so he could find out what she was waiting not so patiently to tell him.  Finally Brody concluded by telling them all not to leave the area without notice and under no circumstances were they to leave the country for any reason.  She advised keeping their security teams in place for the foreseeable future and she wasn’t sure they were out of danger yet.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0051"><h2>51. Chapter 51</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a rainy day in Georgia chapter. Happy St. Pattie's day. May you have the luck of the Irish and find a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 51</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      As soon as the police were out of the house Charlotte jumped up and went to the front windows to watch them leave.  The group was a little shocked by her behavior, but Sidney just told them to wait a minute.  He was pretty sure Charlotte had figured something out and was waiting for the police to leave to share it with them.  A few minutes later “They’re gone”, she announced when she bounded back into the room.  Most of them had never seen Charlotte act like this, but Sidney was used to it.  He just sat back, but his arms behind his head smiling and waited.<br/>
 <br/>
      She laid it all out for them, the Parkers accident, the hunt for the family legacy, the fact that the particulars about the importance of the legacy had been skewed for Sidney and his siblings, Tom meeting Gerry a few months ago, Mrs. Parker’s journal entries with G.D. mentioned several times, the sinking of the supply boat, the disappearance of Edward when Sidney and Charlotte were rescued, the explosion on the expedition vessel, and finally the robbery.  They were all related and Gerald Delany, “Uncle Gerry”, was the common link to all of it.  She pointed out that Sidney was suspicious of Gerry when Tom first brought him around.  How convenient that he showed up to meet Tom in a London bar just when the expedition was getting started.  He’d been privy to all the security details and consulted after that during the Police interview about the explosion on the expedition vessel. <br/>
 <br/>
      Charlotte held up her hand when everyone fired questions all at once.  She took a deep breath and asked them all to hold their questions for a few more minutes.  Finally, she told them there were only three things she couldn’t figure out.  How Gerry had known the route for the transport of the chests, how Edward fit in to the whole picture, and who sabotaged the boats, because she knew it wasn’t Gerry?  After her final statement, she sat back down and took Sidney’s hand.  She knew the revelation that his parent’s accident may not have been an accident was going to be difficult for him to process.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The questions came from everyone.  She tried to answer them all to the best of her ability.  Sidney was getting angrier by the minute.  He noticed Tom was white as a sheet and was feeling more and more agitated about it.  Charlotte noticed her husband’s agitation and looked at him staring holes into his brother.  Finally when the questions for Charlotte died down a bit, Sidney couldn’t stand it any more.  “Spill it Tom”, he growled.  You could hear a pin drop in the room all conversation stopped and everyone looked back and forth between the brothers.   <br/>
 <br/>
      Tom was silent and stared at his feet.  “Thomas Charles Parker” Sidney bellowed.  Charlotte didn’t think she had ever seen Sidney so angry.  Tom looked up finally and yelled right back, “How dare you talk to me like that.  I am the eldest.  I am the head of the family.  You will show me some respect.”  Sidney leapt across the room at him. Babington and Crowe held him back.  Mary was crying and Charlotte got up to try and help her husband calm down.  Janie just looked back and fourth between the brothers.  Charlotte took Sidney’s hand and he calmed a little and looked at her.  She’d never seen him look so worried.  What did he think Tom had done?<br/>
 <br/>
      Tugging slightly on Sidney’s arm, she pulled him back to where they’d been sitting.  Tom, Crowe and Babington all took their seats as well.  Babington spoke in a soft but strangely authoritative voice, “Tom is there something you need to share with us”?  Tears started running down Tom’s face.  He finally looked up at Sidney and with a deep sigh; he told them all what they needed to know.  He’d made a few bad investments with a good friend of his that had assured him that they were a sure thing.  The investments had turned out to be a bad choice, something about incorrect building permits, would be tied up in court, a bankruptcy, and ten cents on the dollar if any at all.  It was a total failure.  The biggest problem of all he’d borrowed the money for the investment from the building fund for the new renovations at the resort.  </p>
<p>      Sidney was seeing red again and Charlotte was trying to soothe him so they could hear the rest.  He went on to tell them he tried to secure a personal loan to cover the amount, but no one would loan him so much with out security and he couldn’t use any of the properties as all he siblings owned them together and he didn’t want to admit to them he’d lost the money. That was why he was in London the weekend he met Uncle Gerry.  Gerry had introduced himself at the bar after Tom had been staring at him.  He’d looked so familiar, but he couldn’t place him.  They got to talking and Tom had remembered him after a little explanation.  Tom hadn’t seen Gerry since his parent’s funeral and he had aged quite a bit in the last ten years.  <br/>
 <br/>
      They had a few drinks together and Tom spilled all his financial problems to a sympathetic ear.  Tom was ecstatic when Gerry offered him a deal for investment as a silent partner to bail him out.  He wouldn’t have to admit his failure to his siblings and he could go ahead with the renovations with no one being the wiser.  When Tom had questioned why Gerry would want to give him such a large sum with no strings attached, Gerry and told him that he had saved up quite a nest egg over the years.  He’d always regretted not keeping in touch after their parent’s funeral as they had been good friends to him.  This was a way he could make it up to the family.  Since it was in Tom’s best interest he accepted it hook, line and sinker.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Tom invited Gerry back to the resort to stay and catch up.  He even offered for his family to come and stay too.  Gerry said his wife had passed and both kids were grown with families of their own now, so he was on his own.  They started spending a lot of time together.  It was nice to have a father figure to talk to again.  Being the head of the family was a large responsibility and he’d always felt burdened a little by it. Sidney rolled his eyes and made a growling noise low in his throat.  Tom flinched a bit at that, he was afraid of Sidney when he was angry.  He was unpredictable when provoked.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney got up to pour himself a whiskey and held up the bottle to the room.  Crowe was the only taker everyone else declined.  Sidney downed the first and poured a second and another for Crowe.  He handed Crowe his drink and sat back down next to Charlotte.  She just looked at him with a raised eyebrow.  He knew the whiskey wouldn’t help his anger, but he just needed to feel the burn of it right now.  He took her hand and gave it a squeeze as Tom continued his story.  He and Gerry talked a lot and the man was a good listener.  He told him about all the pressures of running the family business, father hood, taking care of his siblings.  Sidney hummed low in his throat only loud enough that Charlotte could here it.  She was amazed at his restraint. She could feel the anger raging inside his body.    She ran her fingers up and down his arm to help calm him and give him a connection to her.  He was grateful she was here with him.  She helped him not to take Tom’s head off.  He wanted to kill him.  He could see where this was going and he was horrified.  <br/>
 <br/>
      So, Tom didn’t think anything of talking about the family legacy with Gerry.  He’d been helpful with the security concerns and supportive during the police interview.  They’d kept in touch even after Gerry had gone home. It was natural to have conversations about the find.  It was so exciting that they had actually found the treasure.  He was looking forward to opening a Sanditon maritime museum here in town to dedicate to the memory of his parents.  He talked it all through with Gerry.  They’d even scouted out a few locations that might be suitable.  He didn’t think anything of telling Gerry about the safe guards put in place to move the chests that day to the resort.  He’d even given him the route and the number of guards.  He ended on a sob apologizing and telling them how utterly stupid he felt.   Four men were dead and he was responsible.<br/>
 <br/>
      This sincere apology knocked all the wind out of Sidney’s sails.  He’d always known Tom was the dreamer in the family, always fast moving on to bigger and better things.  Always ready for a new project, he would be an easy target for a friend with a bad investment, or an enemy posing as an encouraging and sympathetic listener.  Sidney felt like a fool now.  He should have kept a better eye on Tom.  His siblings were entirely too trusting and looked up to him too much to really rein him in at his worst.  After Sidney had bailed him out of trouble during University, he’d washed his hands of resort business thinking Diana and Arthur could keep him on the right track.  Obviously that had been naive and maybe a little lazy of him.  He felt partially to blame.  Charlotte watched several emotions pass over Sidney’s face.  She couldn’t quite make out what his exact thoughts were, but she saw the anger drain from him to be replaced by regret.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Mary hugged her husband, she was angry with him for his deceit, but she could tell he was truly sorry, and feeling like a fool.  Right now he needed her comfort, she could be angry with him later.  Tom looked over Mary’s shoulder, “Do you hate me Brother”? Sidney sighed heavily and looked him in the eye.  </p>
<p>      “Of course I don’t hate you.  I am disappointed, I am sure I will feel angry about it again later, but everyone makes mistakes Tom.  You are my big brother, and I love you.”  Tom just sobbed in relief held in Mary’s arms.  There were really only a few loose ends to tie up.  What had happened to Edward?  Was he in on the theft with Gerry or was he innocent in all this?  Where was Gerry, and was he really responsible for the Parker’s deaths ten years ago?  </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0052"><h2>52. Chapter 52</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's 11:51pm here in Atlanta, Georgia,  USA. That is close enough to Sunday when I normally post isn't it? The next two chapters in out Treasure saga for your reading pleasure.  I hope you enjoy them.</p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤ By this time I hope you all know what the hearts mean and what to do.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 52</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      The meeting broke up without much more to say.  Everyone made their way back to their homes with their security detail.  Sidney was quite on the ride home but that didn’t really surprise his wife.  He was a natural brooder and needed some time to process his thoughts before discussing his feelings.  She just held his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder. He leaned his head on hers and circled his thumb on the top of the hand he held. He was comforted just by her quiet presence.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Once the house was cleared by security, Charlotte walked him into the kitchen and sat him at the breakfast bar.  She made them some chamomile tea and a little snack of fruit and cheese and waited for him to talk.  Realizing he was still not ready for conversation she led him to the living room and encouraged him to lie down on the sofa and turned on some classical music in the back round. Cuddling up next to him she pulled a blanket over them. They both fell asleep. Charlotte woke up suddenly as the sun was setting.  She wasn’t sure what had startled her awake.  Sidney’s body twitched next to her.  He was talking in his sleep.  It was gibberish, but he was getting more and more agitated.  His bad dream must have been what woke her up.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Gently she rubbed his chest and murmured sweet nothings in his ear. This seemed to calm him and she snuggled back down next to him.  Sidney woke about an hour later to Charlotte draped over him snoring lightly.  He smiled for the first time that day.  His beautiful wife, what would he do without her.  She was so brilliant.  She’d pieced all the little subtle clues together to figure out Gerry’s deception.   Tomorrow they would need to contact Agent Brody and tell her what she’d figured out and what Tom had told them.  Sidney rubbed his wife’s back lightly thinking about what tomorrow might bring.  The light touch on her back woke her and she smiled up at him.  He sighed and kissed the top of her head.  <br/>
 <br/>
      He asked her if she’d like to shower with him before they went to bed.  She told him yes of course, but suggested they make a light meal first.  Neither was very hungry, but they hadn’t eaten much.  They worked together mostly in silence, not needing many words to communicate, making a simple pasta dish with a green salad and some wine.  While they were cleaning up Sidney brought up the topic of sharing their information with the police.  She wholly agreed that should be the first thing they did in the morning.   Brody would undoubtedly want to interview Tom again.  She hoped Tom would be honest and tell her everything this time.   She thought it was obvious that the police suspected Gerry as the mastermind and possibly Edward as his accomplice.  The fact that Edward had been off the grid so long was worrisome.  Sidney wondered aloud if Edward was even still alive.  Maybe Gerry had gotten what he needed from him and had killed him to keep him from talking.  They knew Gerry wasn’t above murder since he had so callously taken out the four van security guards.  He could have left them alive and just held them at gunpoint, but he’d made the cold calculated decision to execute them.  The question that bothered him the most, was Gerry one of the masked robbers, or did he farm it out?  <br/>
 <br/>
      They cleaned up the kitchen and showered, washing each other with gentleness that seemed called for.  It wasn’t overly sexual.  This wasn’t foreplay this time, just comfort and care. Climbing into bed finally they cuddled together in the center under the blankets.  This day had seemed so unending.  They were both grateful it was over.  “I love you”, she said leaning up on her elbow to kiss him tenderly on the lips.  She loved his lips.  His bottom lip was bigger then the top giving him a slightly pouty look.  She took his bottom lip between hers and sucked on it gently.  He hummed his appreciation.  “I want you Charlotte.  I want to love you, slow and easy”, he told her.  She felt her body react immediately to his low seductive voice.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Every nerve ending tingled and she could feel herself get wet for him.  It was always like this for her.  One word, one look and she no longer had control of her body.<br/>
 <br/>
      She could see him harden as he told her he wanted her.  She leaned in and kissed him again reaching her hand to gently stroke him.  He let out a low moan which only encouraged her more.  She picked up the pace with her hand and moved to straddle his legs.  She took her other hand and massaged his balls gently while stroking him up and down his whole length. Moaning again, he looked her in the eyes and pumped his hips lightly to the rhythm of her hands.  She was making him impatient to be inside her.  She knew what she did to him.  Waiting until she knew he couldn’t stand it any more, she backed up a little and leaned into him to take him in her mouth slowly and with purpose, teasing him, making him want her more.  <br/>
 <br/>
      “I need to be inside you now Luv”.  She let him go and sat up smiling at him.  Then she turned her body and laid down next to him on her back opening her legs wide in invitation. He got on his knees between her legs.  He lifted both of her legs to his shoulders and keeping eye contact with her the whole time entered her very slowly.  Pulling himself out to the tip, he entered her again even more slowly.  Continuing his pace it was slow build for both of them.  The constant eye contact was extremely intimate.  It laid them both bare emotionally.  This was exactly the connection they both needed after the last few weeks.  Their connection was so strong at this moment it was overwhelming.  Charlotte closed her eyes and took a deep heavy breath, letting out slowly.  She felt tears run down the sides of her face.  “Open your eyes and look at me Charlotte”.<br/>
 <br/>
      Opening her eyes to the look of adoring love on his face sparked the gentle pull of her orgasm and pushed her slowly over the edge.  It wasn’t the lightening she so often felt with him, it was a slow gentle pulsing, but somehow it was just as overwhelming.  Sidney continued pulling himself in and out of her with such a force of will.  He waited until she had come down from her high.  He built himself up and slowly let himself go and when he was finished, he collapsed down on top of her.  After a few minutes he got up to wash and then brought the bowl and cloth to gently clean her too.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p> What had started as one of the most horrible days of his life ended with the feelings of being totally loved and understood by the one person that mattered most in his life.  They didn’t fall asleep right away.  They just held each other close enjoying the intimacy.  Finally when she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore, she whispered, “I love you so much Sidney.  I am so glad you walked into my life.  I wasn’t looking for love, but I am so happy that it found me anyway.”<br/>
 <br/>
      He held her tighter at those words.  He felt exactly the same way. “I feel the same Darling.  I have such strong feelings for you that words don’t seem adequate to describe them.  Meeting you has been the best thing to ever happen to me.  I am so sorry I have pulled you into this mess, but if I had to go through this anguish, I am so grateful to have you by my side.”<br/>
 <br/>
      “Good night My Love”, she whispered.<br/>
 <br/>
      “Good night. I love you”, he responded.</p>
<p>       After a few more minutes, he whispered, “Sweet dreams”.</p>
<p>      “Sweet dreams.  Dream of me”, she whispered back? </p>
<p>     As she was drifting off finally she heard him whisper, “I’ll always dream of you”.  That was the last thing she could remember before she was asleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0053"><h2>53. Chapter 53</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Don't you just love how sweet these two are to each other...me too😉</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 53</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      In the morning they called agent Brody first thing and told her what Charlotte had put together and what Tom’s involvement was.  She scheduled another meeting with everyone at Trafalgar House at noon.  Babington called after that his fathers contact had given them an update on the case.  MI5 had the van and the driver in custody.  The van was empty and they had no lead on the treasure at this point because the driver wasn’t talking.  They were bringing in a closer this morning to re-interrogate him.  Perhaps they’d get lucky and he would talk.<br/>
 <br/>
      This was good and bad news and they took it in stride.  They needed to get out of the house for a while and decided on a walk on the beach.  Walking hand in hand with their security detail a little distance away so they could talk privately, Sidney went over with her what she thought they needed to tell the police.  They decided that Tom should tell his side, but they should tell her also what Tom told them yesterday from their point of view since Tom could be light on details if he was embarrassed about his actions.  Sidney was all too aware of this flaw of his brothers.  He always had a way of turning a conversation to benefit him the most.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The meeting went as expected.  Charlotte laid out her facts for Brody in chronological order.  Sidney was always amazed at the organized detail her mind could keep up with.  Agent Brody just listened and then only asked a couple of clarifying questions.  She then went with Tom into his study to re-interview him.  In the end she wasn’t very happy that he’d held back information.  If he had told them everything yesterday, they might have Gerry in custody already.  She called in a country wide APB and also put out an international one.  Since Gerry had worked as a diplomat he would have contacts all over the world.  She had his likeness put into facial recognition software to comb through CCTV footage at the boarders, as well as train stations, major and private airports.   She was confident they’d find him.  Tom was sure he was out of the country all this time.  He still didn’t want to believe Gerry was the mastermind behind the heist.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Brody had a different theory though. She believed that Gerry had been in England the whole time, gathering information from Tom and readying his plan to take the treasure.  She even went so far as to suggest this plan had been in the works since before the Parkers boating accident.  She figured that the Parkers were on to him and that maybe he’d sabotaged their vessel in the same way he’d sabotaged the current expedition vessel.  He’d just been more successful the first time.  Gerry leaving Tom to believe he’d left the country was the perfect cover to be able to move around and organize the sinking of the supply boat, the explosion on the main vessel and the robbery of the treasure.  Tom was the perfect alibi.  He’d been having video chats with Gerry who he believed was in Spain the whole time so they would never suspect him.  He even introduced the idea of the Parker’s accident not being an accident at all to throw off suspicion. It really was brilliant.  He had overcome even Sidney’s early suspicious nature by being helpful all the while patiently collecting the information he needed.  He was playing a long con.  The meeting broke when Tom’s interview was over.  Brody promising updates as she was able.<br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney was still reeling from the idea that his parent’s had purposefully been killed and that it had taken ten years for that to come to light.  He was still hoping it wasn’t true.  He felt guilty that he’d never questioned the accident more and just swallowed everything that Tom told him at the time.  Charlotte tried to comfort him.  Telling him he was just a young man then, just starting University.  How could he have known to ask those kinds of questions?  It was easy in hindsight to see that, but he couldn’t have possibly known then.  He needed to let go of the guilt and try and concentrate on the here and now.  Still, he felt that if he’d asked more questions then, perhaps all of this wouldn’t be happening now and the four security guards would still be alive.  <br/>
 <br/>
      At home that evening, Babington called with another update.  They had a possible location on Gerry and the taskforce was getting ready to move in.  They should hear something in a few hours.  Sidney and Charlotte made a few calls to tell Tom, Mary, Crowe, and Janie.  Now all they had to do was wait. Finding that hard to do, he suggested they go over to Trafalgar House, pick up the little’s and bring them over for a spend the night.  They could build blanket forts, make smores and pretend they were camping.  Charlotte was all in and when Sidney called Mary she thought it was a brilliant idea.  She could use an evening alone with her husband so they could talk properly.  <br/>
 <br/>
      It was so much fun having the kids over.  They were all so excited about living room camping.  Charlotte put a fire in the fireplace and turned up the air-conditioning so it wasn’t too hot.  Every camp need a camp fire to toast the marshmallows Charlotte had explained.  Smores were an American tradition she’s learned about from her friend from University.  None of the children had ever had them before and thought they were the most wonderful thing.  The little’s asked for some scary stories, so Uncle Sidney used his scary voice to tell some ghost tales from when he was little.  Nothing too scary, just enough to get a few squeals out of them.  They built their fort tents in the living room in front of the fire with sheets and sofa cushions. They all fell asleep in one big pile under the main tent.  Sidney thought it was a magical night, he can only imagine all the fun Charlotte had had growing up with all her siblings.  He imagined it was like this a lot in the Heywood home.  He was thinking he couldn’t wait to do this with his own children and fell asleep with a picture of Charlotte in his head and a smile on his face.  In his minds eye she was heavy with his child.<br/>
 <br/>
      The morning was filled with a very loud pancake breakfast.  The children helped clean up camp as that was a camp rule according to Charlotte.  She made it a game for them and there was very little grumbling.  Even baby James had a job and he was so adorable cleaning up the marshmallows as more ended up in his mouth then back in the bag. On their way to drop the children back to their parents they both had smiles of happy contentment.  “I had a blast with the children last night.  We should do this more often.  I couldn’t help but notice how natural you are with them, even the baby”, he said giving her a shy smile.  He was wondering when she saw herself ready to have children and was deciding weather to ask her.  He wasn’t sure he was quite ready yet.  It would be a big change in their lives.  They hadn’t even known each other that long, but it felt like a much longer time.  He had no doubts that he wanted Charlotte to be the mother of his children, just that he might like to have her to himself a little while longer before they became parents.  <br/>
 <br/>
      She had also been thinking about how wonderful he was with the children.  They had talked about children and how many they wanted, but had never broached the when of it all. Things had been pretty crazy lately and they had only known each other a short time and been married even less, but she felt the desire for children with him strongly.  She thought maybe they should wait a year or two so they had time to get to know each other even better then they did now.  Children changed everything about a relationship.  Her mother had drilled that into her head, so that she’d take her time with that part of her life.  But, if Sidney desired them sooner rather then later, she thought that would be ok with her too, maybe she should bring it up.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney’s phone rang.  He was driving and wasn’t sure he should put it on speaker in front of the children, so he asked Charlotte to answer it.  Babington laughed when she answered teasing her about how Sidney’s voice had changed so much.  She laughed at his silliness.  He told her they had an update in the case.  She told him they had the children in the car and asked if what he would tell them was safe to put on speaker. She turned on the Bluetooth and Babington’s voice filled the car.  He’d had word a short time ago that Gerry had been picked up by local police in Gretna Green, Scotland. Unfortunately, he did not have the treasure chests with him.<br/>
 <br/>
      Mary invited them to stay for lunch and since all they had to do was waiting for more news, they might as well enjoy the wait together.  Mary made a simple lunch of home made tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.  Charlotte helped Mary clean up while the men took the children out in the garden to play some football.  They watched out the kitchen window as little James was held in Sidney’s arms as they chased after the ball.  James was squealing with glee and Sidney had the biggest smile on his face.  Charlotte hadn’t seen him smile with his eyes in days.  “We needed this Charlotte, some family time.  Tom and I talked last night and cleared the air.  He’s promised not to keep things from me again, which is a relief.  He feels so foolish for getting in over his head financially and for trusting Gerry when really he hardly knew the man.  He just really believed that Gerry really cared for his parents and meant only to help their children out to honor their memory.  It is nice to see Sidney isn’t so angry with Tom.  I know Tom is the oldest, but he really looks to Sidney for approval. Having him disappointed made Tom very insecure.”<br/>
 <br/>
      “I think that Sidney blames himself, at least partially.  He thinks he left Tom in charge when he knew his brother was more a dreamer then a businessman.  He thought Diana and Arthur would be able to rein him when he went too far with his ideas.  He feels like he should have been more involved and kept a better eye on things.  I think that is why he isn’t so angry”, replied Charlotte.  Mary came over and gave Charlotte a hug and thanked her for also being a forgiving sister.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Finished with the kitchen the women went out to join their family.  The rest of the afternoon was spent enjoying the children and spending some much needed family time.  As it was getting dark, Charlotte suggested that she and Mary prepare dinner for all of them.  None of the adults was ready to end the pleasant day so soon.  They made some more comfort food for dinner, shepherds pie.  Mrs. Heywood’s recipe, it was warm and delicious and made everyone think of their childhood.  They served it with some home made biscuits and some red wine for adults, grape juice for the children.  Vanilla ice cream and short bread cookies were served for dessert.  Everyone was satiated and it was time to get the children to bed so Sidney and Charlotte hugged everyone good night with promises for another sleep away for the children soon. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0054"><h2>54. Chapter 54</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am always impatient at the last few chapters of a good story. The anticipation of knowing how it ends coupled with the need for it to go on. It is like I try to hurry up to read it slowly and savor every moment. Here is a Monday Chapter for those of you who feel like I do and can't wait for the conclusion to unfold.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 54</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      The next morning dawned bright and sunny.  Wanting to get some exercise and enjoy the weather, they took the bikes out for a ride along the cliff paths.  Charlotte could never get enough of the view from here.  She stopped of at the pinnacle to rest, have some water and enjoy the view.  Sidney surprised her by pulling a blanket out of the pack on his back.  They sat down to enjoy the quiet beauty of the place.  She leaned into his body and he put his arm around her.  Sitting there for quite some time Sidney finally asked if she was ready to finish their ride.  She nodded her head, the ride down was always easier then the ride up.<br/>
 <br/>
      At home Sidney noticed a text from Babington.  When he called back, Babington informed him that they had Gerry in custody.  He was being interrogated in London and they should all be expecting formal requests from Agent Brody to be in London tomorrow for some formal interviews and it might take a few days.  He was inviting everyone back to his country estate afterwards for some much needed rest and relaxation.  They showered and packed for a week anticipating the call.  Sidney called the service the family used and had a staff hired for the week at Bedford Place so they didn’t have to worry about the day to day stuff.  He felt they had enough on their plates.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Charlotte called Mary to let her know what was happening knowing she would need some extra time to pack for the children.  She told Mary that she and Sidney would be over as soon as they’d packed to entertain the children so she could work in peace.  Tom was as the office, so Sidney called him to inform him of developments.  All packed and ready, they drove to London Caravan style with a security car out front and one behind.  They felt like it was best keep the security protocols intact until they were sure the danger was over.  Edward was still unaccounted for and they weren’t sure how many other partners Gerry may have.<br/>
 <br/>
      Agent Brody got in contact with them and was surprised that they were all in London already.  She arranged for them to come in for staggered interview times so someone would be home to watch after the children.   They all appreciated her planning and professionalism.  Sidney and Charlotte would go in together at 9am the following morning and Tom and Mary at Noon.  That would give them plenty of time for individual interviews and Sidney and Charlotte could take the children back home with them as Mary and Tom showed up for their time slot.  That would also give Agent Brody an opportunity to have a quick group interview while an officer watched the children before they left.     <br/>
 <br/>
      After Sidney and Charlotte were done with their interviews Agent Brody brought Tom and Mary into the conference room.  The children were all set up in the break room down the hall with cartoons on the telly and snacks to keep them occupied while the adult’s talked. The Agent told Tom and Mary that their interviews would come up shortly and the children would be well looked after for the next little while by the agent they were left with in the conference room.  Sidney appreciated that Agent Brody was so attentive to the children and he was sure that made Mary feel better about leaving them with a stranger, police officer or not.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Brody proceeded to update them on the case.  As they were already aware they had Gerry in custody.  Some things they were not aware of, Gerry had not retired from his diplomatic post in Spain.  He had been asked to resign.  Some discrepancy’s in the funding of the consulate were found and although it couldn’t be proven it was believed that Gerry had been siphoning funds out slowly to an unmarked account in the Cayman Islands the whole time he worked that post.  It amounted to almost twenty million pounds over the last fifteen years. His wife was still alive, but as they were still legally married, she refused to testify against him.  He was also estranged from both of his sons.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Agents had found him in a hotel in Scotland under an assumed name.  The driver who was disposing of the stolen van had finally given him up.  When Brody had showed them a picture of the driver, Sidney and Charlotte recognized him as the crew member from the expedition who had rechecked the supply boat before their accident.  Brody explained that this man had confessed to sabotaging both vessels as per instructions from Gerry.  He was Gerry’s hired man. The evidence they found in the hotel room led them to a rented cottage just on the outskirts of Sanditon where they found Edward Denham tied to a bed unconscious, but alive.  He had been taken to the hospital and was severely dehydrated, but was expected to make a full recovery.  They were going over to talk to him this afternoon.   They found other evidence as well, all the plans for the heist as well as plans for both attempts on the other boats.  This was enough proof to put him away for the rest of his life.  He would be charged with kidnapping, theft, 6 counts of first degree murder and several lesser charges including driving stolen property over country lines.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney piped up, “Six counts of first degree murder”?  Agent Brody handed him an evidence bag with a journal in it and a file with the pages inside photocopied.  As he opened the file, he took a deep breath and Charlotte could see tears welling in his eyes.  </p>
<p>     “What is it”, Tom asked?</p>
<p>     Sidney took a minute to collect himself before he could speak.  He told them in a shaky voice that it was their Mother’s last journal.  The last page was dated the day before the storm that was blamed for the sinking of their boat.  Tom asked to look at it.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Agent Brody explained that as far as she was concerned this was proof that Gerry had planned the execution of their parents as well.  She was sure when faced with the charges and all the evidence they had been able to pull from the cottage that they would be able to get a full confession out of him. England no longer had the death penalty, but he might be able to have his sentences run concurrently if he cooperated and perhaps have a say to which state institution he went.  Charlotte and Mary held their husbands hands.  It was shocking and relieving to hear what had happened to their parents.  Shocking that they were murdered, but there was relief that their killer would be brought to justice and spend the rest of his life in prison.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Brody hoped they would hopefully be able to recover the treasure after they had fully interrogated Gerry.  She asked if there were anymore questions.  Sidney asked where Edward was hospitalized.  She gave him the information, but informed him that for the time being Edward was in police custody and they wouldn’t be able to see him until he was either charged or cleared of any crimes.  She would let them know when they could visit.  At this point Sidney told her he was sure that Edward was a victim in all of this.  He had been a long time friend to him, Babington and Crowe.  He had been honest in his dealings with them and they had already known about his financial issues with the bank.  She told him she hoped he was right.<br/>
 <br/>
      Saying goodbye to Tom and Mary, Sidney and Charlotte went to pick up the children.  They would see Tom and Mary for dinner.  In the mean time Sidney suggested they take the children to the park to play and maybe stop at the ice cream shop on the way home.  Charlotte agreed knowing the little’s would love the idea and that her husband needed a diversion to process his thoughts.  The children cheered when their Uncle told them the plan. The spent a few hours walking in Hyde Park and visiting the play grounds there.  They walked around Albert’s memorial and the arch.  Baby James was tired of walking so his Uncle Sidney carried him the rest of the way to the ice cream shop.  Tired from their exertions they took the children home.  Some quiet time for the girls and a nap for the boys.  <br/>
 <br/>
      While Sidney was getting the children settled upstairs, Charlotte met with the cook to decide what was best for dinner that evening.  They decided everyone could use some comfort food again and maybe something a little fun.  Cook suggested home made pizzas in the brick oven in the garden.  It was supposed to be a balmy evening with no rain so it would be the perfect weather for it.  Cook would make the dough to rise and chop up all kinds of fun toppings, a few home made sauces and viola, easy entertainment for the evening.  She would make some tiramisu for dessert for the adults and some chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles for the children.  Charlotte thought that all sounded perfect and she went to search out her husband.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0055"><h2>55. Chapter 55</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A little late for my Wednesday post, so sorry for being late. It was a busy day.</p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤ You know what to do if you don't like the explicit stuff.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 55</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>     She found him in the upstairs study reading his Mother’s words about her last days.  Agent Brody had provided him a copy of the journal when he’d requested it.  When he looked up as she entered the room she could see the tears in his eyes.  He’d been crying for a while she thought as his shirt was quite wet.  She went to him and bent over to put her arms around his shoulders.  He reached around and pulled her to sit in his lap burying his head in her neck and quietly sobbing.  Charlotte was heartbroken for her husband and just held him tighter.  She would hold him for as long as he needed to get it all out. She rubbed his back and murmured in his ear that everything would be alright and they would get through this together.  When he’d finally stopped crying he sat up and looked her in the eyes.  She leaned and touched her lips to his.  It was a feather light kiss, just to remind him he wasn’t alone in this.  She was there for him.  She would always be there for him.  She was all in for the wonderful times and the heartbreaking ones as well.  <br/> <br/>      When Sidney found his words again he talked about his Mother’s last few months.  She talked about how excited they were to have finally located what they believed to be the wreck from Tom’s family legacy.  They’d had a dive that day and located the aft section of a ship but the weather had turned and they hadn’t been able to identify if it was the ship they were looking for.   The plan was to dive again as soon as the weather cooperated. The weather report was calling for a thunder storm that evening, but they were hoping for clear skies in the morning.   She’d talked about Sidney starting University and how proud of him she was.  She mentioned Tom and Mary deciding to start trying for a family and how excited she and her husband were to be grandparents.  She mentioned Diana and Arthur and how much she cherished that last summer with everyone home together.  The last thing she mentioned on the last page was getting a surprise visit from G.D, They were excited to see him and talk about their find.<br/> <br/>      Sidney stopped talking.  That had been the last entry.  It was probably that piece of evidence that caused Agent Brody to decide that Gerry was probably responsible for their boat going down in the storm that night.  Unless they could find remnants of the boat, they may never know.  Sidney let out a heavy breath.  Reading his Mum’s last words had taken a lot out of him.  He leaned his head against Charlotte’s.  She just caressed him with her hands.  Light gentle touches on his arms and chest.  As emotionally tired as he was he still stirred at her gentle touch.  She could feel his arousal.  It hadn’t been her intention to initiate intimacy at this moment, but if that is what he needed she was more then ready to give it to him.  <br/> <br/>      Sidney stood with her in his arms.  He placed her on her feet and left her to go and lock the study door.  Coming back to her and picking her up again he walked them to the desk as she wrapped her legs around his waste.  The desk was an antique from the original Parker family that lived here.  It was a huge sturdy desk and quite tall.  It had an imposing leather chair set behind it.  The desk was just the right height for what he had in mind.  He walked around to the side with the chair and sat Charlotte on the desk facing it.  He then walked around and cleared the items of the desk with a swoop of his arm.  Coming back around the desk he sat in the leather chair and took off Charlottes sandals.  She was wearing a light sun dress as the weather had been warm that day.  He grabbed the hem of her dress and Charlotte lifted her hips and raised her arms so he could pull it off.  Sidney sat back in the chair to admire his wife.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>She had a light blue matching bra and panty set on.  They were sheer and he could see her dark hair and nipples showing through.  He throbbed at the sight.  He got up and went over the little bar in the room and poured himself a whiskey and then resumed sitting in the chair just gazing at his wife.  She was leaning back on her arms, her long hair flowing behind her, a seductive half smile on her face.  She knew the power she held over him.<br/> <br/>      He thought she was a Goddess.  He’d never known anything more beautiful.  He told her so.  He told her how he felt about her and what she did to his body.  He stood to undress and sat back down with his whisky in his hands.  He spread his legs wide so she could look at him.  “See me.  See how hard I am.  See the power you have over my body.  One look, one touch and this is the state you have me in.”  Charlotte looked at him from head to toe slowly letting her gaze linger on his rather large cock standing at attention for her.  She looked Sidney in the eye and licked her lips.  This sexy invitation made him twitch as she watched.  Sidney sat forward and put his drink on the desk. He put his hands on her hips and slipped his index fingers into her panties and tugged them down.  Again she lifted her hips to make his task easier.  He slid her panties down her legs and placed them on the desk next to his drink.  He placed his hands on her knees and pulled them wide so he could see her sex.  He admired her beauty, he reveled in the thought that it was all for him to play with and enjoy.  He wanted her and she knew it.  <br/> <br/>      Sidney stood between her legs and leaned down to kiss her with hunger. Their tongues danced, they sipped and tasted each other.  He moved his kisses across her mouth and up her jaw and neck to the pulse point just under her ear.  He licked and nibbled there and took her earlobe into his mouth and sucked on it.  He kissed around to her other ear with wet opened mouthed kisses tasting her skin with the tip of his tongue here and there.  She hummed her pleasure when he took her other earlobe into his mouth.  Sidney was in no hurry.  He wanted to take his time.  He wanted to draw out every bit of her pleasure. Charlotte also felt no urgency and was more then happy with the pace her husband set.  <br/> <br/>      He used his hands to caress her from her hips to under her arms grazing the sides of her breasts lightly with his finger tips.  She could feel her nipples stiffen even more then they already were.  He stood back and took one breast in each hand massaging them and pushing them together in the middle and licking in the cleft.  He spent time kissing each one and flicking the bud with the tip of his tongue.  He sucked each one into his mouth, as much as would fit and swirled his tongue around her nipple.  Then he placed her nipple between his teeth and bit down gently and then licked it again to sooth the slight pain kissing his way to the other side to give that nipple attention too. <br/> <br/>      Once he’d had his fill of his wife’s beautiful breasts he made his way down to her wet core placing kisses and licks along the way.  He put his nose in her curls and inhaled her scent humming his pleasure.  She could feel the vibrations deep inside her.  She was anticipating what he would do to her next but was surprised when he sat up and looked her in the eyes again.  Sitting back a bit so he could watch her he told her to use her own hand to pleasure her self.  He wanted to watch.  She hesitated for a moment. She felt suddenly shy.  “Show me”, he said.  Still his wife hesitated and her face flushed with the idea.  He just waited her out keeping eye contact with her. “Show me what you like.  I want to see you come undone for me.”<br/> <br/>      Decided, she slowly ran her hand from her hip to her core and reached all the way down spreading her legs wide.  Sidney moved his chair closer to the desk so that his body was only a foot or so away and slouched down with his legs stretched out under the desk so he was eye level with her warmth.   His eyes flicked back and forth from her eyes to her hand.  Charlotte dipped two of her fingers into her wetness and circled her most sensitive spot rubbing with some pressure around and around several times before dipping her fingers in again for more wetness and bringing them back to circle her swollen bud again.  Sidney just watched her eyes then her hand then her eyes again.  She kept eye contact with him the whole time.  He was so hard it hurt so he stroked himself lightly to help alleviate some of the intense pressure.  She couldn’t decide what turned her on more, pleasuring herself while her husband watched her, or watching him pleasure himself.  She took her two fingers and split them on either side of her sweet spot and pressed harder rocking her hips a bit. “That’s it Luv, let me see all of you”, he murmured stroking himself a little harder now.  <br/> <br/>      Charlotte took her thumb and pumped deep inside herself several times bringing her hips up to meet her thrusts.  Sidney pumped himself to the same rhythm. He wasn’t sure how much more he could stand.  This had started out as his game but she was in total control now and he was so turned on.  He loved seeing Charlotte so confident in her sexuality, it was so damned sexy.  She was flushed.  She was breathing heavily making her chest rise and fall in a very enticing way.   She’d never been more beautiful.  Placing both fingers in her opening now and her wet thumb on her sensitive spot, she pushed her fingers deep inside herself pumping them in and out at a quick pace.  She was watching Sidney match her pace with his own hand on his cock.  His other hand he brought around to tug on his balls groaning in pleasure.  He was so sexy with the noise he was making and she wasn’t sure she had ever been more turned on.  She wondered why they hadn’t tried this before.<br/> <br/>      Sidney could feel how close he was.  He was trying so hard to hold out for her, but he could feel the base of his cock tightening.  Charlotte propped her feet up on the desk to get purchase widening her legs even more.  Balanced like that she brought her other hand to lay on top of the hand already half inside her and used it to bring more pressure where she needed it pumping her hips up and down.  She was so close and she thought Sidney was too by the look of his hooded eyes and the concentrated expression on his face.  By the speed of her fingers pumping in and out of her he thought she must be close to letting go too.  Faster and faster her hips and hands worked until finally she let out loud moans of pleasure. <br/> <br/>      Her sensuous noises triggered his own release and he growled out his pleasure and came into his hand.  Sidney stood and grabbed some tissues out of the box he’d pushed to the floor.  Charlotte was still rubbing around her sweet spot slowly as she came down.  Sidney sat back down, “Let me”.</p>
<p>      He dipped his head down and used his tongue to replace her fingers.  She lay back on the desk unable to support her own weight anymore.    Sidney worked his tongue around her slowly careful to miss her very sensitive center.  He licked her clean and then placed his head on her thigh to catch his breath.  After a few minutes he stood over her with a huge smile on his face.  “That was fucking fantastic”.  She answered him with a wide smile of her own.  </p>
<p>❤❤❤❤❤</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>He leaned in to plant a sloppy wet kiss on her lips making her giggle. Sidney gave her his hand to help her up.  They got dressed and unlocked the study door just in time to hear little footsteps running upstairs.  He smirked at her when she mumbled that it was a close call. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0056"><h2>56. Chapter 56</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ths story is on to its natural conclusion. This is the penultimate chapter. Thank you all for reading.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 56</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>      Tom and Mary found them a short time later playing in the garden with the children. They were excited to share their afternoon with their parents telling them all about the park, ice cream and that they were going to get to make their own pizza for dinner.  They all sat down at the patio table.  Cook had lit the brick oven earlier so it was ready on time.  She brought out a plastic table cloth and balls of dough on pizza pans for everyone.  The table was laid with all the ingredients they would need.  She even remembered some towels and wet wipes for the mess.  Cook gave some basic instructions for preparing their dough for the toppings and how to build a proper pizza.  She let the kids play with their dough and the adults followed instructions and watched her technique.  As she was teaching she made the dough for the kid’s pizzas.  When the adults were ready she traded the play dough the kids had with the shells she had made for them.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Everyone choose the sauce they wanted and put the cheese on as instructed.   Then they were encouraged to pick their toppings as they liked.  Cook placed the pizzas in the oven and turned them and switched them around with the wooden paddle like an expert.  They were all mesmerized watching cook work, even the children sat still fascinated with the process.  It didn’t take long before everyone was enjoying the creation’s they’d made.  They all had a good laugh when Charlotte’s pizza came out with a huge exploded bubble on half of it. Apparently Charlotte wasn’t good at everything.  Sidney could handle this flaw in his wife and he told her it was ok, he loved her anyway, causing everyone to break out in laughter.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The children were tired after dessert and Tom and Mary took them up to bed.  Sidney asked Charlotte if she’d like to take a walk with him.  This part of London was lovely at night. Bedford Place was only a few blocks from an eclectic outdoor shopping area with clubs, cafes and shops of all kinds.  They could window shop and perhaps have a coffee or an aperitif. Their security detail walked a little way behind them to give the couple their privacy.  Soon Sidney and Charlotte forgot they were even there.  They wondered in and out of the shops, stopped and listened to some of the music pulsing out of the small clubs and sat at an outdoor table with some one hundred year old Tawny Port.  Charlotte couldn’t believe what they charged for it but it was delicious.<br/>
 <br/>
      Walking home they talked of going home in a few days and finding out what else the crew had found at the expedition sight.  Hopefully by the time they got home the excavation work would be done and they would have some cabins intact to explore. They got into bed that evening contemplating all the significant parts of the day and decided to dwell on the happy ones rather then the sad.  Sidney told her that the anniversary of his parent’s deaths was coming up at the end of the summer and he wanted to hold a 16th year memorial service for them, nothing sad, a party to bring all those who loved them together to celebrate their lives. Charlotte told him she would be happy to help him plan it and that it was a beautiful idea. They fell asleep after making love content in their plans.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The next morning Brody called. Gerry had broken down after his second round of questioning.  He made a full confession and gave up the location of the treasure chests.  He scoffed at them that Edward had any part in his plans except as a source of information.  He had been Edwards’s private investor for the exhibition and therefore he knew Gerry’s face, so he’d kidnapped him and kept him drugged so he couldn’t identify him to the Parkers.  He said he liked Edward though and didn’t want to kill him.  Interviews with Edward and his crew corroborated Gerry’s story so the police were confident that Edward was just as much a victim in all of this as they were.  Gerry also had the van driver take all the copies of the logs and maps as well as anything found, off the expedition vessel when the crew left.  Security had been too busy looking for other incendiary devices to catch him. Sidney questioned the process.  What would happen now? </p><p>      Brody explained it might take at least a year for a trial where they would all need to come back and testify, unless of course Gerry decided to plead guilty and save them all the trouble. He asked about the chests and when they would be released back to them.  He wanted to be able to provide proper security.  She explained that under the law, the treasure belonged to the expedition until it was turned over to the country of origin, so as soon as it had been recovered, photographed and documented for evidence, they could take custody.  It would be a more formal process then normal given the nature of the evidence, but it shouldn’t take too many days.  The agency would need copies of any documents pertaining to cataloging of the find when it was excavated. Sidney assured her they would get that documentation scanned and sent to her as soon as possible.  <br/>
 <br/>
      The next few days went by swiftly but finally the family was clear to let the security detail go.  Crowe was able to loose his detail too.  Only the Babington’s still had their usual security team.  The police cleared them all go back to their normal lives.  They had gotten all they needed from them and they would contact them if they needed anything further in the future. Everyone packed to get ready to go home.  It was a huge relief to have this all finally at an end.  Sidney had enough excitement for a life time and was looking forward to getting back to normal and being alone with his wife in their home without security sweeps and armed guards.  He was grateful for their help but wasn’t sorry to see them go.<br/>
   <br/>
      Charlotte thought the cliffs of Sanditon never looked more welcoming, even in the pouring rain.  It was nice to be home and out of danger.  She didn’t realize how terrified she had really been until the danger had passed.  In hindsight she wondered if they’d made the right decision to keep going with the expedition after the explosion on the main vessel. She decided to put that out of her mind though as it was moot at this point.   They had gotten word from the crew that the excavation of the sand was done and they were ready to explore what they’d uncovered.  The whole hull of the wreck was intact as well as all the passenger cabins and the crew was excited to get started.  It was Wednesday and Sidney told the crew to take a few days rest.  They would dive on Monday if the weather permitted.  He and Charlotte need a few days to decompress.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney and Charlotte spent a few naked days in their house getting dressed and going out only when they ran out of groceries.  They never heard the phone ring nor did they have a knock on the door having given their family and friends strict instructions not to bother them until Saturday.  They spent their time eating, sleeping and catching up on enjoying each others bodies without the pressure of worrying about their lives. This wasn’t sex to prove they were alive, or sex for comfort, it was sex for the pure pleasure of having it and they enjoyed every minute of it.  On Saturday they came out of hiding and spent the day with Tom, Mary and the children.  The little’s were invited back that night for another sleep away at Uncle Sidney’s and Aunt Charlotte’s so that their parents could have little of their own alone time.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sunday when they took the children home, Crowe, Janie, and the Babington’s were invited to Trafalgar House for lunch so they could all plan for the next few weeks.  The master diver thought it would take at least that amount of time to go through the passenger’s cabins and might take longer if the weather didn’t cooperate. <br/>
 <br/>
      The next weeks were a flurry of activity.  It took three weeks and two days to go through the rest of the wreck safely.  It was an extraordinary find, one of the biggest in the last century. Thanks to his parents they found many items of significant value, not only monetarily, but as an interesting historical slice of how life was lived in the early 1800’s. There were many personal effects, even some intact parchment documents and many personal valuables. There were also a few bodies, which were raised and laid to rest in the family grave yard at Sanditon House. The British Museum, The Portuguese, Spanish and German governments and even Tom were ecstatic about the find. He was already talking of the resorts extreme rise in bookings not only for this season, but for the next few summers as well, including the cottage’s they had yet to build with the renovation and expansion plan.<br/>
 <br/>
      The Babington’s, Crowe, and Janie were only ever in it for the fun and had gotten more then they’d bargained for in this adventure.  They all swore off treasure hunting form now on. Charlotte had only ever been in it for the historical value and because it was important to her husband.  Sidney had never been in it for financial gain.  He was interested in his family legacy and the fact that he got to complete the search after more then two hundred years gave him great satisfaction.   <br/>
 <br/>
      Edward made a full recovery and spent the last three and half weeks diving every day the weather was the least bit favorable.  He was already booked on some talk shows to discuss the find and even had National Geographic approach him to do an article. His friends were more then happy for him to take all the credit in the press.  It kept the newshounds happy and let them all live their lives in private. He was exceedingly pleased with his decision to join the hunt with his friends.  The discovery would restore his tarnished reputation and be lucrative enough to pay off all his loans.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A good old Port is one of my favorite apertiefs. If you've never tried one, I highly recomend, fair warning it is sweet and can pack more punch then you might expect from a sweet drink!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0057"><h2>57. Chapter 57</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Final chapter dear readers. I will follow up on Wednesday with the Epilogue.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 57</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>      Once every artifact had been pulled from the site, all that was left to do was to try and salvage the ship itself.  A special salvage crew was brought in by the British Museum who specialized in salvage of this kind.  It was extremely difficult to bring a wooden ship of this size up intact.  The crew was precise and took their time with every detail.  It took another two and a half weeks but they were able to bring up both ends of the hull intact.  They were even able to locate all of the original cannons and a few of the mast beams.  Sidney, Charlotte, Janie, Mary, Tom and their friends were all there the day they brought up the aft half of the ship.  It was incredible to watch as it rose up out of the sea.  A crane was used with large straps to lift it out of the water and onto a long flat barge.  <br/>
 <br/>
      That night as they celebrated the raising of the ship at Trafalgar House, the Babington’s had an announcement of their own.  They were expecting their fourth child.  Tom broke out champagne for everyone and sparkling apple cider for the mother to be.  Everyone toasted to the miracle of new life.  Sidney’s best friend was beaming and he was happy for him. Charlotte asked Esther how she was feeling.  Esther said other then feeling nauseous every morning she was doing rather well. Charlotte was happy for her and asked when she was due. Her due date was the beginning of January and Esther asked Charlotte to promise she’d be there to hold her hand.  Charlotte told her she’d be honored.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Tom suggested cigars for the gentlemen. Sidney watched his wife raise her eyebrow with a look at her brother in law.  Sidney laughed out loud that his wife was affronted that Tom only offered cigars to the men.  He knew she enjoyed a cigar every now and then with her Papa.  “Tom, I think my wife is miffed that you didn’t include the women in your invitation”!  Tom apologized profusely and invited the women to join them as well.   Sidney laughed again when his wife and her sister were the only takers.  Mary told them there was no way they were smoking those stinky things in her house and sent them all out to the garden.  Mary asked Esther to follow her up stairs to the nursery.  Esther was thinking she was going to get some experience helping put four children to bed for the evening.  She picked up baby James and followed Mary upstairs.<br/>
 <br/>
      When they got to the nursery, Mary took the baby and put him on the floor with his toy trains.  She told Esther to sit in the rocker.  Mary opened the closet and brought a box down from the top shelf and handed it to Esther.  Inside was the most beautiful little Christening dress.  Ester cried and told Mary she couldn’t accept it, she should keep it in the family for her children or even for her sibling’s children.  Mary just laughed and told her to keep it.  There was a Christening dress that has been passed down in the Parker family for generations, but this wasn’t it.  This one had belonged to her family.  It had been made by her great grand mother for her grand mother.  She would be honored if Esther would accept it.  Esther gave Mary a hug.  She didn’t really have any family of her own.  The Babington’s had always treated her kindly, but it wasn’t the same as having her own parents.  Mary was not nearly old enough to be her Mother, but she’s always felt like a sister.  Esther told Mary of course she’d accept such a lovely gift and thanked her from the bottom of her heart.  Esther offered to help put the children to bed.  Laughing as she went down the stairs and saying to Mary that she was glad she had a nanny to help her at home.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney and Charlotte talked in bed after making love that night for hours.  They talked all about their fears of the last few months and about their hopes and dreams for the future. They were both happy for their friends but neither was ready to start a family quite yet.  They wanted another year or two to enjoy their relationship together before starting a family.  <br/>
 <br/>
      Sidney asked Charlotte what she would like to do for the near future.  She told him she’d really like to write a book.  When she told him the topic of the book he was surprised.  She was already a published author and world renowned as an authority in ancient map languages and cartography; she was brilliant in her field. So when she told him she wanted to write a romantic thriller, based on her life with him and their adventure treasure hunting he was actually shocked.  Charlotte just laughed at the look of incredulity on his face.  She had to admit it was a little off her normal topic for writing, but she loved Jane Austen, and Agatha Christie novels.  She already knew the basics of writing and editing, so she figured she would try her hand at a novel.  The worst that could happen was it would be terrible and no one would want to read it, and then she laughed and told him she could always just describe their sex life in explicit detail and it would be sure to be a best seller.  Sidney laughed along with her and told her she could do anything she wanted if it would make her happy, except describe their sex life to the general romance reading public.  She kissed him and told him what a wonderful husband he was.  Then she asked him what he wanted to do.  <br/>
 <br/>
      He told her he’d really like to travel.  His business was in good hands, his Siblings were all settled and he’d like to see the world with her before they settled into a family.  He told her his dream didn’t have to preclude hers as she could be a writer anywhere as long as she had a laptop and electricity.  She laughed and asked him if he wanted to travel to places with no electricity.  He just smirked her and said maybe! She agreed that she could write anywhere, but put her foot down at no electricity, or running water, or indoor plumbing.  She only had one other condition.  She wanted a promise that they would be home by the end of November so they would be here in plenty of time for the holidays with family and for when little Babington would make his or her way into the world.  He just laughed at her and agreed.  They kissed on it and then didn’t stop kissing.  They made love to each other slowly and fell asleep in each others arms happy with their plans for the future.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>The End</strong>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A little funny tidbit of real life. As I have mentioned, I am trying my hand at writing a novel. Can you guess it is a romantic thriller. When I read my Sidney Parker one of the explicit scenes from this story he was shocked. He is a little prudish. He asked if my novel would include scenes like this and when I said yes, he told me he didn't want me to publish that. Strong independent woman that I am,  I laughed and  told him not to worry, I would use a nom de plume.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0058"><h2>58. Chapter 58</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Alright my dear sisters and brothers.  I am sad to say this is the final chapter for this story.  Thanks so much for reading and all your encouraging comments.  I have several more stories on AO3 if your interested.  I just started my newest AU for Sanditon titled "Things Like This Just Don't Happen in Real Life".  Check it out.  Leave Kudos for me on this story if you haven't already please, It lets us authors know how many readers we have.<br/>Rmhraga</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Epilogue</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Charlotte helped Sidney and his siblings plan the memorial for the sixteenth anniversary of their parents passing.  It was decided they would have a party on the beach instead of a somber gathering. The Parker’s wanted to honor their parents and remember the fun times they’d had growing up in Sanditon.  They decided on a Jamaican theme with a steel drum band playing reggae music for dancing, Jamaican jerk chicken and shrimp, dirty rice, lots of coconut drinks. For dessert there were Sweet fried plantains, Duckanoo and Grater cake for the kids which was really more like candy.   They danced and sang to Bob Marley’s happy and sometimes sad poignant music way into the wee hours of the morning. </p><p>
  
</p><p>          Sidney and Charlotte made a list of all the places they wanted to visit and took turns picking one of their choices off the list.  Sidney got to pick first since it was his idea.  They started back in Bali were they’d gone on their honey moon.  The morning before the trip Sidney gifted Charlotte with a new Macbook with all the newest editing software, a personal library of books he’d loaded in for her and a travel playlist in her Spotify account.  For the next several months they globe hopped to every place on their list staying in little out of the way B&amp;B’s, small cottages and an occasional boutique hotel.  Sidney was as good as his word and they were home in time for the holidays.  Charlotte had bought all her Christmas presents abroad and had taken the time to pick out personal gifts that fit everyone’s personalities.  Crowe even got a present, a silver flask with his initials engraved on it from Mexico.</p><p>         </p><p>          Babington’s family lawyer was able to negotiate with the German, Spanish, and Portuguese governments.  They shared jurisdiction of the discovery.  The German’s owned the ship itself and the Spanish were responsible for the three trunks including the coins and the chest with the crown belonged to Portugal.  The value of the rest of the contents from the passengers split equally between the three countries, as well as France and England.  Germany agreed to gift the town of Sanditon’s new Parker House Maritime Museum the recovered ship and all of the countries allowed them to keep some of the documents and personal artifacts found, in exchange for the group’s shares of the find.  It was a large sum, but since none of them were in the hunt for the monetary benefits, they’d agreed that it should all be donated to the opening of the new museum.  Edward took his share, paid his debts and went off to Argentina to his next treasure hunting adventure.</p><p> </p><p>          Crowe proposed to Janie on New Year’s Eve at the Heywood farm after asking her father for her hand.  Janie happily accepted him.  She was good for Crowe.  He was a much happier man.  She had been what he didn’t know he needed in his life.  Janie brought out the best in him and he adored her, doting on her when ever she would allow it.  They planned a long engagement and would get married the following New Year’s Eve.</p><p>         </p><p>          The Babington’s daughter Sara Margret Grace was born on February 14<sup>th</sup> to the delight of her parents and their friends.  Charlotte was there to hold Esther’s hand the whole time and she cried when she was asked to be the babies Godmother.  Over cigars on the hospital roof garden, Babington asked Sidney to be Godfather to their new baby girl much to Sidney’s surprise as he wasn’t always a very godly man.</p><p> </p><p>          Charlotte could tell that Sidney was restless going into the spring.  When she finally got him to open up about it he told her that he was unsettled not knowing exactly what happened to his parents.  She suggested they take some time now that the weather was getting warmer to search for their vessel.  At first Sidney was apprehensive.  He wasn’t sure he was ready to face that demon.  His wife gently reminded him that it might help to put the past behind him. She knew he would eventually come around.  He just needed time to work it out for himself.  Charlotte gave him all the time he needed.   It took him several more months to get a handle on how he felt about it.  When June came around he was finally ready to start the search. </p><p>         </p><p>          The Babington’s were enjoying their daughter too much to join them on this expedition.  Crowe and Janie however were happy come along.  Four people was enough to have two divers in the water and two aboard the boat to monitor air levels and weather.   They began north of the wreck site in Margate and worked their way south towards Sanditon.  They borrowed some equipment from Edward who’d also taken a few weeks off to come and help with the search. It was amazing how much junk was actually at the bottom of the sea.  It sparked feelings of sadness in Sidney an Charlotte and they talked about an idea of hers for a non-profit clean up and salvage organization here in Sanditon. </p><p>         </p><p>          It took two and a half months of meticulous searching looking at any formation on the sea bed that was bigger then a bicycle, but finally they found what was left of the Parker’s exhibition vessel about a mile south west of the location of the wreck site in a little valley in the sea floor.  They anchor lines must have been compromised in the heavy storm, or perhaps they were cut on purpose.  The boat must have drifted in the wind and current. </p><p>         </p><p>          Sidney couldn’t bring himself to go on the final dive to search the vessel, which turned out to be a blessing.  It was obvious that an explosion happened near the engine area in the aft of the craft. It would take forensics experts to later determine the cause.  A bomb had been placed inside the engine compartment, just like on the wreck vessel last summer.  Crowe and Janie found the remains of Sidney’s parents in what must have been their cabin. Found in an embrace, they must have been unconscious when the explosion went off.  Both had obvious contusion marks on the back of their skulls. They wouldn’t have been able to hear it with the generator for the equipment running anyway.   Sidney’s only comfort was at least they had been together when explosion went off causing the boat to quickly sink.</p><p> </p><p>          At the end of August on the 17<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the Parker’s passing.  The siblings along with family and friends laid their parents to rest in the family mausoleum at Sanditon Shores Cemetery.  The Parker children were finally allowed a proper goodbye.  In September the Parker House Maritime Museum was opened in their honor.</p><p> </p><p>          Charlotte found a publisher for her novel, “Treasure”.  Sidney couldn’t have been prouder of her.  She took their story and turned it into a face paced thriller with an undying love story that hit the New York Best Sellers list the following year.  The book had plenty of intimate moments, but none from real life.  They were all in her imagination.   When Sidney read her novel for the first time, he cheekily suggested they play out all the scenes one at a time.  </p><p> </p><p>          Several months later Charlotte gave Sidney the happy news that he was to be a father.  Sidney was over the moon and hoped it would be a girl, just like her mother.  Their first child would be born in early February the following year.  When the Heywood’s came to the resort for several weeks in early September, they celebrated the happy news at Tom and Mary’s with all of their friends and family surrounding them.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>